BY MARTIN KICH

Myra Crownover, R-Denton, said during a House Committee on Higher Education discussion on college sexual assault: “I was listening for mention of drug or alcohol abuse and, you know, I think those two conversations are so intertwined. I would be curious to see how many times a pure, sober sexual assault happened. And I think that’s something we need to talk about. The two are so intertwined, I don’t see talking about one without talking about the other.”

Myra Crownover then defended her remarks by stating: “My statements this morning in the Higher Education hearing were taken out of context.”

The context was a discussion of what can be done to encourage more victims of campus rape to report the crimes. As an article on the hearings in the Dallas Morning News explains:

“Experts urge those handling college sexual assault cases—like campus police, administrators and other students—to consider how alcohol and drug use increases a victim’s vulnerability, not culpability.

“’The most common sexual assault at [institutions of higher education] are non-stranger cases that involve drug and alcohol use. Research shows that drinking alcohol increases the risk of assault, although alcohol consumption never causes or justifies sexual assault,’ UT’s recent blueprint for campus police states. ‘Often no weapon is used but perpetrators use strategies and tools like alcohol intoxication to commit sexual assault.’”

The complete article, written by Lauren McGaughy, is available at: http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/2016/03/texas-lawmaker-wants-info-on-pure-sober-rapes-on-college-campuses.html/

The following is a chart created by those at the University of Texas who have been attempting to address this issue: