The House Public and Behavioral Health Committee unanimously approved the bill Tuesday, sending it to the full House for consideration. Other bills regarding sexual assault this session include adding the word “consent” to Colorado’s sexual assault law and providing sex workers immunity from arrest when they report violent crimes including sexual assault.
The Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault reported that 23.8% of women in Colorado have experienced sexual violence, compared to 18.3% nationally. A sexual assault occurs in the U.S. every 68 seconds, according to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network.