KALAMAZOO (WKZO AM/FM) — Governor Rick Snyder says Michigan is a role model on how to handle campus sexual assaults, which is now more important than ever.
Governor Snyder, First Lady Sue Snyder, and their daughter Kelsey Snyder visited Kalamazoo on Monday for their 4th annual Let’s End Campus Sexual Assault Summit at Western Michigan University.
Sue Snyder says this is a topic that wasn’t always discussed and brushed under the rug for the longest time, but now more people are speaking up, giving them a better chance to help all survivors.
The Snyders took questions from the media that were primarily geared toward the latest sexual harassment accusations against Supreme Court Nominee Brett Kavanaugh.
The Governor said the backlash against Christine Blasey Ford is inappropriate and it could deter more survivors from coming forward.
The summit featured keynote speakers and breakout sessions that focused on informing students, empowering survivors, and striving to prevent future campus sexual assaults.
Sue Snyder praised the amount of resources Michigan has for survivors like the sexual assault hotline (855-864-2374), campus resource handbooks, and a new website which acts like a one-stop-shop for information on this ongoing issue.
In an effort to continue progress in the sate, the Michigan Legislature also appropriated $1-million dollars from the 2019 General Fund for the Campus Sexual Assault Grant Program so Michigan colleges can apply and receive aid for their prevention programs.
This is all in part with Sue Snyder’s “Let’s End Campus Sexual Assault” initiative that she launched back in 2015 and her constant goal to make Michigan a leader in ending sexual assault.
More summit information can be found here.
