As we discussed here last year, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has taken steps to rescind federal guidelines regarding how colleges and universities should handle sexual assault accusations that were implemented under the Obama administration. Among the changes...
Actor facing child porn sentencing found dead of apparent suicide
A 35-year-old actor who was best known for his role on the television show Glee appears to have taken his own life just weeks before he was to learn his sentence for possession of child pornography. According to the Los Angeles coroner, he hanged himself.Mark Salling,...
Civil rights groups sue over new campus sex assault policies
Last year, we discussed the steps taken by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to roll back policies implemented under the Obama Administration to address the problem of sexual assault at America's colleges and universities. These changes were designed to provide more...
A strong defense for statutory rape charges is essential
Charges of sexual assault, including assault and unwanted contact involving minors, have been saturating the news lately. It's important to understand that when minors are the alleged victims, the criminal charges may be much more serious than if the victim is an...
What’s the difference between sexual harassment and assault?
Sexual harassment and assault have been at the forefront of the news lately in the midst of accusations against numerous famous and powerful men. While accusations of either can have serious implications, it's important to understand that sexual assault is criminal,...
Maryland high school counselor charged with sex offense, assault
Often, stories of teachers and other school employees accused of sexual assault involve the alleged abuse of students. However, a high school counselor in Montgomery County is facing multiple charges involving the alleged assault of two women whom he met on...
What is ‘stealthing?’
Most people have probably never heard the term "stealthing." However, two members of Congress contend that it is sexual assault and should be dealt with by lawmakers. Stealthing occurs when someone, either a man or woman, removes a condom while having sex unbeknownst...
DeVos announces plan to revoke campus sex assault policies
A couple of months ago, we discussed reports that Education Secretary Betsy DeVos was reviewing sexual assault policies on college campuses to help ensure that they were fair to both accusers and those being accused. Now DeVos has announced that she plans to revoke...
Former Maryland coach facing multiple sexual assault charges
A former Maryland track coach and school aide has been charged with 119 counts involving sexual assault. The 30-year-old man is accused of assaulting a minimum of two dozen male students between May 2015 and June of this year.The man, who coached track teams at two...
Why parents need to talk to their kids about campus sex assault
As young people head off to their freshman year of college here in Maryland and across the country, many parents are taking the time to discuss the widely-reported problem of sexual assault on campus. Whether you're the parents of a daughter or son, it's essential to...