CBS 60 Minutes segment addresses campus sexual assault, features interview with the Women’s Center’s Executive Director, Joelle Gomez
On Sunday, April 17 CBS 60 Minutes featured a story about sexual assaults on college campuses, including an interview with Joelle Gomez, Executive Director of the Women’s Center.
The segment focused on two rapes that took place on the University of the Pacific (UOP) campus in 2008, and the University’s response to those rapes. The piece highlighted the flaws in college and university campus sexual misconduct policies, and the need for reform of these policies at schools nationwide.
To view the segment, visit the CBS 60 Minutes web site.
“When the Women’s Center was approached to be a part of this 60 Minutes segment, it meant a lot of thought before we engaged in that interview process,” Gomez said in an interview with CALCASA, the California Coalition Against Sexual Assault.
“The bottom line was: We have to be there to be the voice for victims. We are the advocates in the community. Although this is not unique to the University of the Pacific, we know that sexual assaults are occurring at an alarming rate across the nation. And if we have an opportunity to shed light — even though the university was not going to be pleased with our platform — it’s the right thing to do. We have a duty to stand by our mission, and that is to bring their voices to the forefront and to really instigate the change that is so needed,” Gomez said.
Before the 60 Minutes segment aired, CALCASA conducted an interview with Gomez about recommendations for rape crisis centers in forming partnerships with colleges and universities. The interview will be featured on CALCASA’s web site.