BYU formally gives honor code amnesty to victims of sexual assault

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Brigham Young University Campus, Provo, Utah. Photo: Wikipedia

PROVO, Utah, June 24, 2017 (Gephardt Daily) — Brigham Young University has formally adopted an amnesty policy that will allow victims and witnesses of sexual assault to report crimes without facing punishment for sexual misconduct and violating the school’s honor code.

“The university will not tolerate sexual misconduct (defined in this policy as sexual harassment, sexual violence, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking),” the school’s Friday news release says. “Anyone found to have committed sexual misconduct as defined in this policy is not entitled to confidentiality or amnesty.

“Being a victim of sexual misconduct is never a violation of the CES (Church Education System) Honor Code. BYU strongly encourages the reporting of all incidents of sexual misconduct so that support services can be offered to victims and sexual misconduct can be prevented and stopped.”

The policy change comes 14 months after an organized protest targeted BYU for its treatment of student Madi Barney, who was barred from enrolling in the next term’s courses after a local law officer shared her rape report with BYU’s Honor Code officials.

“I was raped, and I waited four days to report because I was so terrified about my standing at BYU,” Barney wrote in an April 2016 statement that ran with a petition asking the university to change its policy.

“Brigham Young University has a strict honor code that prohibits actions such as premarital sex, alcohol or drug use, and even being in the bedroom of someone of the opposite sex. I am a survivor of rape, and now BYU has put my academic future on hold due to their allegations that I broke the honor code in the circumstances of my assault.”

After Barney’s case became public, other victims came forward to share their stories. Barney has since transferred to another university.

The honor code changes were made after a campus-wide survey and multi-month study by an advisory panel. Changes were put into effect earlier, but made official with Friday’s announcement.

To see a video of one of the 2016 protests, click on the player below.

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