Sexual Assault

SACRAMENTO – California Attorney General Bonta today announced 41-year-old Christopher Campbell was sentenced to 14 years in prison for possession of child pornography after he was arrested during an undercover operation to combat child sexual predators within Sacramento County. On February 27, 2023, the California Department of Justice (DOJ) Human Trafficking and Sexual Predator Apprehension Team (HT/SPAT), along with Homeland Security Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, assisted the Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force in the joint operation. The United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of California prosecuted the case.

“Let this conviction serve as a warning to those who harm children: You will be held accountable,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Our office is fighting on behalf of the most vulnerable Californians in the field and in the courtroom. I am thankful for the hard work of our Special Agents during this operation and all our partners who work collaboratively with our regional Human Trafficking and Sexual Predator Apprehension teams throughout the state. When we work together, we get results.”

During the operation, Campbell contacted an undercover HT/SPAT agent to engage in sexual misconduct. It was discovered that Campbell was a registered sex offender, and a search warrant revealed that Campbell had approximately 517 images and 45 videos of child pornography on his iPad and cellphone. Law enforcement also searched Campbell’s cloud storage account, which contained approximately 169 videos of child pornography, including depictions of toddlers and other minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. On April 9, 2024, Campbell was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison for possession of child pornography. Campbell was subject to an enhanced statutory penalty for possession of child pornography because he had a prior conviction relating to sexual abuse involving a minor.

The mission of the HT/SPAT program is to disrupt and dismantle violent human trafficking and child exploitation organizations through a comprehensive, collaborative, and statewide response. This program is committed to using a victim-centered approach to aggressively investigate, identify, and recover victims of the brutal crime of forced labor and sexual exploitation for profit or gain by human traffickers and sexual predators. The HT/SPAT program works closely with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to identify emerging human trafficking trends in order to dismantle domestic and transnational criminal organizations. This program educates communities by providing tools on how to identify human trafficking and works with non-governmental organizations to provide resources and services to victims and survivors.

Updates to COPPA need to go further to protect children’s online data 

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today, in response to the Federal Trade Comission's (FTC) notice of proposed rulemaking, joined a bipartisan multistate letter to the FTC proposing updates to regulations implementing the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). In the letter, the attorneys general express support for updates to COPPA and advocate for further clarity and specification for proposed rules.

“The Federal Trade Commission’s proposed rule would strengthen our ability to enforce restrictions on companies selling children’s data and protect consumers who seek to manage what information websites can collect from kids,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Together with a broad bipartisan coalition from across the country, I support this effort and look forward to working collaboratively with the FTC to keep protecting children’s privacy.”

COPPA requires operators of websites and online services that are either directed to children under 13, or that have actual knowledge that they are collecting personal information from children under 13, to provide notice to parents and obtain parental consent before collecting, using, or disclosing personal information from children. 

The proposed rule would update COPPA by:

• Requiring separate “opt-in” consent for targeted advertising: The proposed new rule would require separate notice and parental consent before an operator can disclose children’s information to third parties, including third-party advertisers.
• Clarifying the “mixed audience” category:  There currently is ambiguity about when child-directed websites must provide COPPA protections to all users and when they may screen users for age and only provide COPPA protections to users who self-identify as under 13 years old. The FTC proposes to clarify this distinction by providing a new definition of “mixed audience."
• Adding “biometric identifiers” to the definition of “personal information”: The FTC proposes to expand the definition of “personal information” under COPPA to include biometric identifiers, like fingerprints or handprints, retina and iris patterns, genetic data, or data derived from voice, gait, or facial data.
• Limits on the “support for the internal operations” exception: Operators may currently collect persistent identifiers without first obtaining parental consent under an exception that permits “support for the internal operations of the website or online service.” The FTC proposes adding new requirements and disclosures for operators who rely on this exception.
• New limits on nudging kids to stay online: The FTC proposes adding new limitations on operators’ use of personal information to prompt or encourage children to use their service more.
• COPPA and schools: The FTC seeks to permit schools and school districts to provide consent for the collection, use, and disclosure of children’s personal information, but limit that consent to use for educational rather than commercial purposes.
• Data security, retention, and deletion: The FTC proposes strengthening data security, retention, and deletion requirements. For example, the FTC proposes requiring disclosure of data retention policies, and prohibiting operators from using retained information for any secondary purpose.

In the letter, the attorneys general support proposed updates to the COPPA Rule and respond to certain issues raised by the FTC, including how to define “personal information” as it relates to children and how to obtain parental consent to use children’s personal information in connection with advertising. The letter also advocates for limiting potential exemptions being considered by the FTC and addresses proposals regarding limitations on the use of personal information in ways that could be harmful to children, such as nudging kids to stay online longer.

Attorney General Bonta is committed to protecting children online. In October 2023, Attorney General Bonta co-led a bipartisan coalition of 33 attorneys general in filing a federal lawsuit against Meta Platforms, alleging that Meta, among other things, designed and deployed harmful features on Instagram and Facebook that addict children and teens to their mental and physical detriment. In November 2023, Attorney General Bonta announced the public release of a largely unredacted copy of the federal complaint against Meta. The removal of the redactions provides additional context for the misconduct that the attorneys general allege.

In March 2023, Attorney General Bonta as part of a bipartisan multistate coalition, filed an amicus brief supporting efforts to compel TikTok to produce subpoenaed materials and evidence as part of ongoing nationwide investigations into the company’s role in the growing youth mental health crisis. In December 2023, Attorney General Bonta joined a multistate amicus brief in Murthy v. Missouri supporting the right of the federal government to communicate with social media companies about matters of public concern. In January 2024, Attorney General Rob Bonta, Senator Nancy Skinner, and Assemblymember Buffy Wicks introduced the Protecting Youth from Social Media Addiction Act (SB 976), and the California Children’s Data Privacy Act (AB 1949), landmark legislation seeking to protect youth online.

In submitting today’s letter, Attorney General Bonta is joined by the attorneys general of Oregon, Illinois, Mississippi, Tennessee, Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina, Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.

A copy of the multistate letter is available here.

BAKERSFIELD — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced the arrests of seven suspects as part of a multiagency, two-day sexual predator apprehension operation in Kern County. The operation targeted adults seeking to sexually exploit children by using undercover agents and detectives posing as minors offering sex for pay on online websites commonly used by victims of sex trafficking. These same websites are commonly accessed by predators to pay and meet victims for sex acts. Additionally, agents and officers rescued three sex trafficking victims who were with the suspects arrested. The victims were provided support through victims services.   

“Sexual exploitation and the human trafficking of children will not be tolerated in California, period,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “I established DOJ’s Human Trafficking and Sexual Predator Apprehension Team to ensure that my office could provide targeted and aggressive support to help end this modern-day form of slavery in our state. I am thankful to all our partners for their work in this operation, as well our California DOJ agents who have made hundreds of arrests and helped countless victims since starting this work in 2021. We will continue to keep at it, every day, as one person exploited is one too many.”   

“Maintaining a strong law enforcement presence in social media dating apps, and physical locations where human trafficking is known to occur is an important element of suppressing human trafficking,” said Kern County District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer. “The success of this operation shows the commitment of law enforcement to combating human trafficking and child exploitation and offers a glimpse into how prevalent these horrific crimes are within our state.”      

The two-day operation, which concluded on Wednesday, involved the collaboration of the California Department of Justice’s Human Trafficking and Sexual Predator Apprehension Team, Homeland Security Investigations, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, the Bakersfield Police Department, investigators from the Kern County District’s Attorney Office, and the California Department of Corrections Parole Division. The suspects were taken into custody and face charges by the Kern County District Attorney’s Office of pimping, pandering, human trafficking of a minor, contacting a minor for the purpose of committing a felony, and meeting with a minor for the purpose of committing a lewd act.

Attorney General Bonta launched DOJ’s Human Trafficking and Sexual Predator Apprehension Teams in June 2021. These teams, led by California Department of Justice, are located throughout the state including the Central Valley, Sacramento, and San Diego. The teams have taken significant action to support law enforcement partners in disrupting and dismantling human trafficking and the criminal exploitation of children.

Human trafficking is a modern-day form of slavery where perpetrators profit from the control and exploitation of men, women, and children for sex or labor through force, fraud, or coercion. Human trafficking does not require movement across borders. According to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, there were more than 1,300 human trafficking cases reported in California in 2020 — more than any other state in the nation. In California, human trafficking is prevalent in the hospitality, commercial sex, domestic work, and construction industries. Victims of human trafficking are also found among migrant and seasonal agricultural workers, providers of residential care, and in California’s garment sector. 

If you or someone you know is being forced to engage in any activity and cannot leave, you can call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 to access help and services. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 9-1-1. Additional information and resources to support survivors of human trafficking are available here. 

It is important to note that a criminal complaint contains charges that are only allegations against a person. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty.

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced that applications are now being accepted for the Sexual Assault Evidence Submission Grant Program. This program is administered by the California Department of Justice (DOJ) and provides funding to assist local law enforcement agencies in submitting and DNA testing of sexual assault evidence. The Budget Act of 2021 appropriated $4 million in grant funding to assist law enforcement agencies statewide.

“This grant is a step forward in our fight against sexual assault in California,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “It supports and honors the courageous individuals who come forward about their experiences of sexual assault and go through the necessary steps to provide evidence. I am grateful for the valuable contributions of our partners across the state in this critical battle. Funds from the Sexual Assault Evidence Submission Grant will assist them in protecting the vulnerable and bringing perpetrators to justice.”

Interested law enforcement agencies are encouraged to learn more about the grant program, the eligibility criteria, and the Request for Applications (RFA) process. This RFA is a non-competitive application process that is reimbursing eligible agencies for costs incurred during the submission and testing process. Grant funds are not designed to sustain a project but are intended to supplement existing funds to help agencies submit and test sexual assault evidence.

Eligible agencies must submit a completed application to DOJ by February 5, 2024. All grant applications must be emailed to SAESG@doj.ca.gov by 5:00 PM (PDT). No late applications will be accepted. 

A complete application package includes the following:

• Application Cover Sheet (Word Document)
• Letter of Intent (Word Document)
• Project Budget (Excel)

A copy of the RFA is available for download here.  

Agencies who are interested in applying for funds should request amounts based on their need. The grant period for the use of these funds will begin on or around March 1, 2024 and will end March 1, 2027. Questions concerning the application process may be directed to the DOJ at SAESG@doj.ca.gov. See Sexual Assault Evidence Submission Grant Program website for more information.

FRESNO — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced the arrests of 19 suspects as part of a three-day multiagency operation that targeted child predators. Operation “White Elephant” targeted adults seeking to sexually exploit children and victims of sex trafficking, using undercover agents and detectives posing as minors offering sex for pay on applications and websites commonly used by predators.

“In California, we do not tolerate the sexual exploitation and human trafficking of children,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “To combat this modern-day form of slavery, I established the Human Trafficking and Sexual Predator Apprehension Team within the Department of Justice. This specialized team provides targeted support and taking aggressive measures to put an end to these heinous crimes in our state. I want to express my gratitude to all our partners who have collaborated with us in this important operation. Our fight against sexual exploitation and human trafficking will not waver because even one person being exploited is one too many. Together, we can create a safer future for all vulnerable individuals who deserve protection, freedom, and justice.”

“Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation is a growing issue, requiring vigilance and constant attention,” said King County Sheriff David Robinson. “It can take place in any community, regardless of the community’s size or location.” 

The operation lasted from November 29 and December 1, 2023, and included special agents from the California Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Bureau of Investigation, the Human Trafficking and Sexual Predator Apprehension Team, along with the agents, officers and deputies from Kings County Sheriff's Office, Department of Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Hanford Police Department, Lemoore Police Department, and Corcoran Police Department. 

Subjects were booked into the Kings County and Tulare County Jails on the charges of Penal Code (PC) 288.2(a)(2)-sending harmful material to seduce a minor, PC 288.3-communicating with a minor for the purposes of sex, PC 288.4-meeting with a minor for the purpose of sex and PC 311.4(b)-enticing a minor to produce pornography.  The Kings County and Tulare County District Attorney's Offices will be prosecuting the cases.

If you or someone you know is being forced to engage in any activity and cannot leave, you can call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 to access help and services. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 9-1-1. Additional information and resources to support survivors of human trafficking are available here. 

SACRAMENTO – Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today announced her sponsorship of two bills which will improve statewide tracking of forensic evidence through the adoption of technology.  The legislative package directs law enforcement to take advantage of two secure databases operated by the California Department of Justice: the CODIS Hit Outcome Project (CHOP), which enables agencies to share confidential information about the outcomes of DNA matches; and the Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence Tracking (SAFE-T) database, which will enable the state to track the collection and processing of sexual assault evidence kits.

“DNA evidence is a tool that provides law enforcement with critical evidence to bring justice to sexual assault victims,” said Attorney General Harris.  “By taking full advantage of the state’s existing forensic tracking technologies, these bills will bolster and modernize law enforcement efforts to solve sexual assault crimes.”

AB 1848 by Assemblymember David Chiu (D-San Francisco) will direct all local law enforcement agencies to use a second tracking system within the California Department of Justice, the Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence Tracking (SAFE-T) tool.  This database was specifically designed by the Attorney General’s Bureau of Forensic Services to allow local law enforcement agencies to log and track the status of all so-called “rape kits” collected from victims of sexual assault.  The bill will include annual reporting to the state on metrics relating to how many kits were collected and how many kits were indeed analyzed by a DNA lab.  In cases where local agencies decide not to test a kit, they will be required to provide a reason.

“Survivors of sexual assault who are submitting sexual assault evidence kits aren’t getting the answers they need and deserve,” said Assemblymember David Chiu (D-San Francisco). “To get at the crux of the backlog problem, we need to know how many kits are collected each year, and if they’re not analyzed, we need to know why.  This data will help shed a light on what areas of law enforcement need to change and whether or not they need more resources to get the job done. I look forward to working with Attorney General Harris on this crucial effort.”

SB 1079 by Senator Steve Glazer (D-Orinda) will achieve universal use the state’s CODIS Hit Outcome Project (CHOP) database.  This advanced technological database helps streamline criminal casework and enables law enforcement agencies to confidentially share information on the outcomes of DNA matches when their own evidence comes back with a positive match to the same known perpetrator.  The database also features a tracking system that assists local agencies in tracking the progress of a DNA hit once crime scene forensic evidence has been matched against a sample in the national database.  Universal adoption of CHOP will ensure that California’s law enforcement agencies are able to fully leverage this technology to promote public safety.

“My bill ensures that local agencies use cold hit information to its full potential for case investigations. Proper use of a statewide system will mean investigations will be more efficient, repeat offenders will be found in the system, and rape kits will be accurately tracked, among other benefits,” said State Senator Glazer (D-Orinda).

Both CHOP and SAFE-T are secure, web-based databases made available to local law enforcement agencies free of charge.  The California Department of Justice, which manages the state’s DNA Data Bank Program, created CHOP in 2009.  SAFE-T was created in 2015 in part as a response to recommendations from a report by the State Auditor.  When evidence taken from a sexual assault kit is analyzed and matched to a sample in CODIS, the SAFE-T profile is automatically linked to a database entry in CHOP. 

In California, law enforcement collects DNA samples from all felony offenders and arrestees, which are submitted into the CODIS database.  When a DNA sample is taken from a crime scene involving an unidentified suspect, the database is checked for possible matches.  In January 2012, Attorney General Harris announced that, for the first time ever, the backlog of untested DNA evidence in state labs had been eliminated. Since that time, the Department’s Bureau of Forensic Services has assisted counties in clearing their own backlogs.

In April 2014, the Attorney General’s innovative RADS program received the United States Department of Justice’s Award for Professional Innovation in Victim Services, and in 2015 the program was awarded a $1.6 million grant to test sexual assault evidence kits at local laboratories.

SAN FRANCISCO - Attorney General Kamala D. Harris and University of California President Janet Napolitano today applauded the signing of a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) between multiple universities in San Francisco, the San Francisco Police Department, and the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office to better support and seek justice for survivors of campus sexual assault. Their MOU is based on a Model MOU released by the California Department of Justice in May 2015, which was the product of a collaborative effort between Attorney General Kamala D. Harris, the University of California Office of the President, the Alameda County and San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Offices, and the San Francisco Police Department and Oxnard Police Department.

California is entering a new era of accountability for campus sexual assault. For the first time under California law, campuses across the state are required to immediately alert law enforcement when a sexual assault occurs. As of July 1, 2015, California campuses are required to have policies in place to ensure that reports of violent crime, hate crime, or sexual assault made to campus authorities are immediately disclosed to law enforcement. The Model MOU will help campuses and law enforcement agencies comply with their new obligations, increase reporting, and improve their response to campus sexual assault to seek justice for victims and accountability for perpetrators.

Specifically, the Model MOU lays out key action items that include:

• Clarifying the duties of campus authorities and law enforcement agencies following an assault, including who will act as first responder, who will collect and preserve evidence, and how to share necessary information while preserving victim privacy
• Ensuring that campuses, law enforcement, and community-based organizations work together to connect victims to services – including rape kits – as soon as possible
• Committing to regular training for both the campus and law enforcement communities

By adopting the best practices in this model agreement, school officials and law enforcement agencies can provide clear, accurate, and supportive information to students who have been assaulted, including a clear understanding of how to report an incident to authorities and where and how to seek medical assistance.

"I applaud the San Francisco law enforcement and college partners for adopting our model Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to respond to campus violence and sexual assault,” said Attorney General Harris. “I worked with President Napolitano and CA law enforcement to jointly create this Model MOU because we know that we must work together to ensure that perpetrators of sexual assault are held accountable and victims receive the justice and support they deserve. This effort will break down silos and ensure local coordination in response to sexual violence on campus."

University of California President Janet Napolitano said, “This is the kind of outcome California Attorney General Kamala Harris and I envisioned when we unveiled a toolkit in May to help law enforcement agencies improve collaboration on campus sexual assault prevention and response. We salute District Attorney Gascón for taking action on a memorandum of understanding with the UCSF Police Department, SFPD and the San Francisco Trauma Recovery Center.”

In May 2015, Attorney General Harris released the  Model Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), including both a How-To Guide and Template MOU for law enforcement agencies and institutions of higher learning to utilize in crafting and adopting customized local agreements. At a press conference with University of California President Janet Napolitano, law enforcement leaders, and advocates to announce the Model MOU, Attorney General Harris encouraged campuses to use these resources to improve coordination, collaboration and transparency in addressing campus sexual assault.

To view the Model Memorandum of Understanding, click here: https://oag.ca.gov/campus-sexual-assault. To view the information bulletin released in January, click here: http://bit.ly/1CcwfB1.

LOS ANGELES- Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today announced that the California Attorney General’s office was selected as an awardee of the Manhattan District Attorney’s Initiative to eliminate backlogs of untested rape kits. The California Department of Justice’s Rapid DNA Service Team (RADS) will receive $1.6 million over two years to test sexual assault evidence kits.

The California Attorney General’s office is one of 32 agencies in 20 states to receive a grant.  The funding will support the Attorney General’s continued efforts to test kits submitted by local law enforcement agencies that have a backlog of untested kits.  The California Department of Justice currently assists 46 of the state’s 58 counties in DNA analysis of sexual assault kits.

“DNA testing is a powerful law enforcement resource – a smart on crime tool that we’ve used in cutting edge ways in California,” Attorney General Harris said. “Evidence of sexual assault is too important to sit dormant for months while victims await justice.  This grant will allow us to use our Rapid DNA Service Team’s technology to assist more of our law enforcement partners across California in eliminating their sexual assault kit backlogs.”

In 2011, the RADS team, part of the Attorney General’s Bureau of Forensic Services, introduced new technology that dramatically increased the speed with which sexual assault kits can be tested.  The program uses automation to reduce the processing time to within 20 days, down from six months from the start of analysis. This process includes the uploading of DNA profiles into the FBI’s Combined DNA Index System to search for unknown suspects.  In one year, the program eliminated a long-standing backlog of untested rape kits in state-run labs, which included 1,300 DNA cases.

In January 2012, Attorney General Harris announced that, for the first time ever, the backlog of untested DNA evidence in state labs had been eliminated. Since that time, the Department’s Bureau of Forensic Services has assisted counties in clearing their own backlogs.

In April 2014, the RADS program received the United States Department of Justice’s Award for Professional Innovation in Victim Services.

LOS ANGELES – Today, Attorney General Kamala D. Harris announced steps to address the pervasive issue of sexual assault on California’s college campuses. As part of this effort, Attorney General Harris released a Model Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), comprised of a How-To Guide and Template MOU for law enforcement agencies and institutions of higher learning to improve their coordination, collaboration and transparency in response to cases of campus sexual assault.

Attorney General Harris was joined by University of California President Janet Napolitano, law enforcement leaders, and victim advocates at a press conference in Los Angeles to announce this effort.  Below are additional quotes in support of this critical effort to address campus sexual assault in California.

Speaker Toni G. Atkins (D- San Diego):

“Our college campuses must be safe places.  And if a sexual assault, a hate crime or a violent crime is committed, each campus and community has the duty to ensure it is taken seriously and resolved responsibly.  The model Memorandum of Understanding developed by Attorney General Harris provides an important, uniform tool for making sure students, faculty, staff and visitors at all California’s colleges and universities find themselves in a safe and supportive environment.”

Assemblymember Jose Medina (D-Riverside):

“Given the seriousness of the issue of sexual assault, particularly on college campuses, I am grateful to see the progress of the discussion with this Memorandum of Understanding from the Attorney General and all the continued cooperation between campuses and local law enforcement. As Chair of the Assembly Higher Education Committee, I believe we must protect students and community members and hold perpetrators accountable.”

California Coalition Against Sexual Assault (CALCASA) Executive Director Sandra Henriquez:

“CALCASA applauds the efforts of the California Attorney General’s Office in creating a model Memorandum of Understanding that will assist California campuses and local law enforcement to improve responses to address sexual assault.”   

California College and University Police Chiefs Association President Chief Randy A. Burba:

“The California College and University Police Chiefs Association supports the model Memorandum of Understanding and guidance document released by the Office of the Attorney General.  We thank the Office of the Attorney General for the opportunity to participate during the review process and we trust the final product will be a tremendous advancement to aid municipal law enforcement and university law enforcement in their shared, ultimate goal of assisting survivors and victims of violent crime.  We heartily encourage all of our member agencies of the California College and University Police Chiefs Association to utilize this excellent tool. “

Oxnard Police Department Chief Jeri Williams:

“Law enforcement is committed to a working partnership between campus police and county and local departments to increase the awareness and education of students in the area of sexual assault. This MOU demonstrates our desire to work together and to share resources to best serve our victims of sexual assault.”

University of California Students Association President Jefferson Kuoch-Seng:

“I want to thank Attorney General Harris and the University for their proactive work on the implementation of student- supported legislation. On every campus, sexual violence and response to assault affects everyone and has a huge impact on our campus culture. Student activists have driven a bold agenda on this issue and it is paying off. We have much more work to accomplish: UCSA continues to urge the UC Office of the President to implement mandatory in-person peer consent and bystander intervention training for faculty, staff and students at all UCs.  These model MOUs will ensure communication and cooperation among and on our individual campuses. We are encouraged by this guide, and look forward to meaningful community and survivor-informed discussions to address the issue.”

San Francisco Police Department Chief Greg Suhr:

"Local law enforcement has a shared responsibility with campuses to respond effectively to support victims however we can.  We look forward to working with the colleges and universities within my jurisdiction to implement this Model MOU."

Association of Independent California Colleges & Universities President Kristen Soares:

“AICCU appreciates and supports the work of the California Attorney General in serving as a resource to colleges and universities to ensure compliance with increasingly complex state and and federal campus safety and sexual assault laws.  These tools provide much needed guidance to institutions on best practices in protecting the safety of our students and the entire campus community.”

LOS ANGELES – Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today announced steps to address the pervasive issue of campus sexual assault on California’s college campuses. Joined by University of California President Janet Napolitano, law enforcement leaders and victim advocates, Attorney General Harris released a Model Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), comprised of a How-To Guide and Template MOU for law enforcement agencies and institutions of higher learning to improve their coordination, collaboration and transparency in response to cases of campus sexual assault.

“California has some of the best colleges and universities in the world,” said Attorney General Harris. “But for far too many hard-working students, the dream of an education from a top school is upended by sexual violence. We must acknowledge these students’ value to our future and give them the respect and dignity they deserve as our next leaders. This model agreement will help break down silos between campuses and law enforcement agencies to provide sexual assault victims with the help they need and hold more perpetrators accountable.”

Studies suggest that as many as one in five undergraduate students have been a victim of an attempted or completed sexual assault. In addition, this crime is severely underreported, with 80% of campus sexual assaults going unreported to law enforcement. Lack of reporting also impacts public safety, as studies suggest that repeat perpetrators account for nine out of 10 assaults on campus.

“A primary goal in our efforts at the University of California to prevent and respond to sexual violence and sexual assault has been to make sure law enforcement agencies are more fully engaged with us on this serious issue,” said University of California President Janet Napolitano. “Working closely with Attorney General Kamala Harris and law enforcement agencies will help us build trust and ensure appropriate outcomes for criminal acts of sexual violence and assault.”

California is entering a new era of accountability for campus sexual assault. For the first time under California law, campuses across the state are required to immediately alert law enforcement when a sexual assault occurs. By July 1, 2015, California campuses must have policies in place to ensure that reports of violent crime, hate crime, or sexual assault made to campus authorities are immediately disclosed to law enforcement. The Model MOU will help campuses and law enforcement agencies comply with their new obligations, increase reporting, and improve their response to campus sexual assault to seek justice for victims and accountability for perpetrators.

Specifically, the Model MOU lays out key action items that include:

• Clarifying the duties of campus authorities and law enforcement agencies following an assault, including who will act as first responder, who will collect and preserve evidence, and how to share necessary information while preserving victim privacy
• Ensuring that campuses, law enforcement, and community-based organizations work together to connect victims to services – including rape kits – as soon as possible
• Committing to regular training for both the campus and law enforcement communities

By adopting the best practices in this model agreement, school officials and law enforcement agencies can provide clear, accurate, and supportive information to students who have been assaulted, including a clear understanding of how to report an incident to authorities and where and how to seek medical assistance.  

The Model MOU is the product of a collaborative effort between the office of Attorney General Kamala D. Harris, University of California Office of the President, Alameda County District Attorney’s Office, San Bernardino District Attorney’s Office, San Francisco Police Department and Oxnard Police Department.

“I commend Attorney General Harris for taking a proactive step to make sure that our college campuses are a safe and welcoming community for our students,” said San Bernardino District Attorney Mike Ramos. “Together we share the responsibility of promoting best practices and collaborating with our partners in law enforcement and the UC system.”

“I am very pleased to have a well-thought-out guide suggesting how we can better assist survivors of sexual assaults on our college campuses while also complying with new legal requirements,” said UCLA Police Chief James D. Herren. “This toolkit gives us steps we can take to connect important resources as we pursue justice and work to eliminate this national problem."

“The work we have undertaken will forever impact the way California’s universities and colleges address sexual assaults on campus,” said Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O’Malley. “Sexual assault survivors will be assured that their voices are heard, that the crime will be investigated, and that they will receive the medical attention vital to their physical and psychological well-being. Also of great importance, campus personnel and law enforcement will now have clear guidance as to how to proceed when a victim reports a sexual assault.”

Attorney General Harris has a decades-long commitment to reducing sexual violence, holding perpetrators accountable and seeking justice for sexual assault victims. As a line prosecutor in Alameda County and then as the District Attorney of San Francisco, the Attorney General has long focused on violence against women and children. In her first year in office, the Attorney General eliminated a longstanding backlog of untested rape kits in state-run labs – which included 1,300 DNA cases. In April 2014, the California Attorney General’s Rapid DNA Service Team received the United States Department of Justice Award for Professional Innovation in Victim Services.

In January 2015, Attorney General Harris issued an information bulletin to California law enforcement agencies, higher education administrators and campus security personnel, providing enforcement guidance on new and amended sexual assault and campus safety laws. The bulletin summarized SB 967 (Senate pro Tempore Kevin de León, D-Los Angeles) and AB 1433 (Assemblymember Mike Gatto, D-Glendale), gave enforcement guidance in the context of existing state and federal statutes, and encouraged increased collaboration between law enforcement and campus authorities. At the time she released the bulletin, Attorney General Harris promised to release further guidance in the coming months, including this model agreement.

To view the Model Memorandum of Understanding, click here: https://oag.ca.gov/campus-sexual-assault. To view the information bulletin released in January, click here: http://bit.ly/1CcwfB1.