In an effort to reduce sexual assault and provide justice for victims, California lawmaker Das Williams has proposed a new legislation that will require colleges in the state to punish students who commit the crime with at least a two-year suspension. Under this proposed law, schools will also be required to disclose the outcomes of sexual assault cases.

While two years of suspension is a good starting point, it is not enough. The perpetrator should be expelled.

A victim should not have to worry about seeing that person again. It is hard enough to accept that the event actually happened and although survivors of sexual assault deal with it differently, it is extremely hurtful for survivors to see the person who committed the crime in close proximity.

If that person is allowed back into school after two years, he or she can repeat the crime again and again if it goes unreported.

If the punishment is kept at two years of suspension, those two years should be spent in jail and closely monitored that the convict is getting an education toward respecting others before continuing their academic education.

Sexual assault is a serious issue that can mentally and physically affect the victim throughout his or her life. Unfortunately, those who experience sexual assault may often feel victimized and too afraid to report the assault, due to a lack of justice or fear of judgement.

Colleges and universities express their serious concern over academic dishonesty and will take control of this matter with no hesitation, so imagine if they handled sexual assault cases the same way. It almost seems as if you would be better off raping someone, than to be caught cheating.

The current lack of punishment for sexual assault makes it too easy for the perpetrator to walk away freely or in a matter of months, while the victim must deal with a lifetime of consequences.

According to The Washington Post, one in five women and one in sixteen men experience sexual assault during their college years.

Across the United States, 105 colleges and universities are under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education for how they handle sexual assault cases, including The University of Notre Dame, Florida State University and Harvard Law School.

Colleges and universities may claim to protect their students and do what is best for their education, so why are so many schools under investigation for their lack of action with sexual assault cases?

Sadly, sexual assault is no surprise as it is all too commonly heard about in the media. Even though it is often heard about, colleges are sometimes slow to act on it and lenient toward student-athletes.

In January 2013, Lasse Uusivirta, a standout hockey player at the University of Alabama at Huntsville, confessed to raping a female student on campus. The student conduct board recommended taking away his scholarship and expelling him immediately, however, Uusivirta appealed the decision and remained on campus where he continued to play hockey.

The girl he raped, who wished to remain anonymous for safety reasons, would see him during school as she walked to class. Uusivirta was later suspended from school and allowed to return in less than six months.

Not only is it important to act on this proposed legislation, children should be taught at a young age to respect the other gender and learn about the dangers of sexual assault. If children can be taught in schools about their anatomy and sexual education, why can’t they take a course on the consequences and severity of sexual assault?

Williams is also pushing for a bill that would require a persons college transcript to indicate if he or she has been suspended or expelled due to sexual assault or violence.

With these proposed legislations, California campuses can work toward serving justice and increasing the overall safety of all students.