On July 1st, HB 22-1169 went into effect. The bill, which was signed into law on March 24th, updated the definition of sexual assault to include the word “consent.” The new law determines that an actor has committed sexual assault if they cause “sexual penetration or intrusion knowing the victim does not consent.” Survivors ALWAYS have the choice to engage with the criminal legal system regarding their sexual assault. But this law means that from July 1st onward, the definition of sexual assault is clearer for juries to understand when deciding the outcomes of sexual assault trials.
CCASA held our Annual Campus Meeting on July 20th. We worked with Colorado State University’s Office of Women and Gender Studies to host the event simultaneously in-person and virtually. Campus professionals learned about relevant policies, mental health, sexual assault prevention, and the intricacies of Title IX updates. As one of CCASA’s first in-person events since 2019, sharing space was energizing and impactful. The ability to share experiences virtually with campus professionals and presenters from across the state – and country – is a resource we can’t take for granted. We had the best of both worlds at the 2022 Annual Campus Meeting!
This July, CCASA’s Sexual Assault Response Program Manager, Jenna Harper attended the National Association of Community and Restorative Justice. Learn more about Jenna’s expereince, and new knowledge, check out her blog about the experience.
On July 28th, we wished a Happy CCASAversary to Agueda, our Associate Director! Agueda has been working in the field to end sexual violence since 2006, when she began volunteering on the hotline at Moving to End Sexual Assault (MESA) in Boulder County. Her experience includes providing direct client services to survivors of sexual violence; managing 24-hour crisis lines; coordinating, training, and supervising advocates; and providing community outreach and education to the Latinx/Hispanic community. We are so grateful for Agueda’s expertise, leadership, and sense of humor. Thank you, Agueda, for your 7 years (and counting!) with CCASA!