Troy's Emma Willard, To Combat Sex Abuse, Partners With National Group

After sex assault charges emerged, private school takes measures to update prevention, response Emma Willard School is partnering with a national organization to implement best practices and policies when it comes to preventing and responding to sexual assault on campus. The partnership with Culture of Respect, a group founded by parents in 2013, comes as the all-girls boarding and day high school in Troy works to boost its image after old cases of sexual abuse came to light last year. At its founding, the group recruited researchers and experts in advocacy, student affairs, higher education policy and law to develop a Core Blueprint Program — a six-pillar guide to help campuses "shift the culture to one free from sexual violence." The pillars include: survivor support with options on reporting; clear policies on misconduct, investigation, adjudication, and sanctions; multi-tiered education for the entire campus; public disclosure of statistics; school-wide mobilization with student groups and leaders; and ongoing self-assessment.