California Becomes First in the Nation to Define When ‘Yes Means Yes’

Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill into law on Sunday, that makes California the first in the nation to have a clear definition of when people agree to engage in sex.

The White House Council on Women and Girls says an estimated one
in five college women nationwide are sexually assault before graduation.

Campus police officers and students hope the new law, will provide
consistency in sex crime investigations across campuses and reduce the crime,

Students at Santa Maria’s Allan Hancock junior college have learned how to report and deal with sexual assault.

Emily Garcia, a second year student, said “We’ve learned to report it no matter how scared you are or who has done it to you.”

Some believe SB-967 could help reduce the number of sexual assault cases throughout the state.

Sgt. John Staugaard, said, “It’s nice because more people are going to be informed, more people are going to inform us.”

The law affects public and private California colleges that receive state
funding. Students who attend those schools are now required to make an
affirmative, conscious, and voluntary agreement to engage in sex.

The law also says a relationship between two people does not mean there is
consent.

Local campus rape statistics show in recent years show Cal Poly had 12 reported
cases of rape, UCSB had 9 and both Cuesta and Hancock don’t have any recent reported cases.