Stanford is being criticized this week in their effort to curb the negative behavior that occurs from college drinking, mainly sexual assault and sexual misconduct. The university announced that it has officially decided to ban hard alcohol in large containers and shots at undergraduate campus parties. You may be thinking, “I didn’t think any alcohol was allowed on campus,” but at many colleges, alcohol is permitted at school-related events, even at undergraduate events where many of the students would be underage.
Culture of sexual assault
Despite the school’s attempt at improving conditions on campus, Stanford has received a lot of heat from this recent ban. Many people thought that by cracking down on alcohol at undergraduate on-campus parties, the school is taking that stance that sexual assault is not the fault of the accused but of the alcohol and the “party atmosphere.” This comes on the heels of the national news of Stanford swimmer Brock Turner who was found guilty of sexually assaulting another student on campus after a fraternity party. The defense blamed the party culture and drinking too much. Turner received what many saw to be extreme leniency by the judge. Other critics say the alcohol ban will not help in preventing the sexual assault culture on today’s college campuses, that the focus should be on changing the student mindset and the “sexual entitlement” culture.
Sexual misconduct has serious consequences at ASU
As students head back to school in Arizona, it is so important that they are reminded of these recent headlines on sexual assault and work as a community to prevent them from happening. ASU in recent years has had numerous incidents and therefore is cracking down on this issue. Not only will the police get involved, but ASU will also hold a code of conduct hearing for the accused student. Many times, expulsion is immediate.
Legally speaking, sexual assault and sexual misconduct in Arizona is taken extremely seriously by the courts and will result in hefty consequences. The charge can result in not only a college career being ruined but a future career as well. As an experienced Tempe criminal defense attorney, I have assisted many Arizona State University students with their criminal charges, and in addition, their code of conduct hearings at ASU. My office understands the seriousness of these matters and know how to get the most beneficial outcome. Contact my office today for a free case evaluation.
Author Bio
Matthew L. Lopez
Matthew L. Lopez is the Managing Attorney and founder of Matthew Lopez Law, a criminal defense and DUI firm serving clients throughout Arizona. His track record of case dismissals and charge reductions has earned him honors, including a National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40 nomination, a “Superb” 10/10 Avvo rating, and a Rising Star designation by Super Lawyers.
Matthew is a member of the National College for DUI Defense and holds active memberships with the Arizona Association for Criminal Justice and the Arizona Association for Justice. His firm handles criminal defense, DUI, drug charges, and traffic offenses, offering free consultations and affordable payment plans to make quality defense accessible to all Arizonans.
