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While there are no colleges or universities in Putnam County, Odell said changes in the law proposed by Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino would help victims of all sexual assaults.
"Sexual assaults and rapes are violent crimes,'' Odell said during a news conference at the college in Purchase.
Sarah Tubbs of Montrose, who reported she was raped at Stony Brook University nearly two years ago, detailed the obstacles she faced in pursuing justice.
"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger,'' Odell told Tubbs.
Astorino said his four-point plan would improve upon Gov. Andrew Cuomo's campus assault bill, which awaits approval by the State Legislature.
Tubbs said Stony Brook has yet to release a rape test kit report after an attack on her nearly two years ago at its Long Island campus. After detailing the many obstacles she encountered in seeking justice, Tubbs received a long applause when she said she'll receive her master's degree in social work from Hunter College on Wednesday.
"I learned the hard way that colleges have no business handling rape cases. I honestly feel as though I was victimized twice, first by my attacker and then by the systemic failures of my college, Tubbs said.
Under Astorino's proposal,·colleges would be required to report an alleged rape or sexual assault to local police immediately. Failing to do so would result in a Class B misdemeanor for any college employee with direct knowledge of an alleged sex crime but failed to report it to police. It's the same penalty for failing to report knowledge of alleged child abuse,Astorino said.
Current state law requires colleges to report violent felonies, but not sexual assaults if the victim chooses not to. "A victim has the right not to report a rape to police, but a college official does not," Astorino said.
Further, colleges would be required to provide an independent advocate for sexual assault victims..
Police departments would be required to incorporate “Start by Believing” training into their curriculum, which Westchester will now offer at the county police academy.
Odell endorsed the proposal to make it mandatory for colleges to contact police when there is a report of a sexual assault. She also liked Astorino's call for specialized training for police and victims' advocates.
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