Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) says her recent survey shows that colleges are failing to adequately try sexual assaults, especially among student athletes.

Here’s more from Michael Stratford at Inside Higher Ed:

McCaskill says her survey shows colleges ‘falling short’ on dealing with sex assaults

WASHINGTON — More than a fifth of colleges nationwide allow their athletic departments to oversee sexual assault cases involving student-athletes, according to the results of a survey released Wednesday by Senator Claire McCaskill.

In addition, more than 40 percent of colleges responding to the survey said that they had not conducted a single investigation of sexual assault in the past five years — a finding that the Democratic lawmaker called “unbelievable.” The survey included a range of institutions, including large public institutions, private colleges and for-profit institutions.

McCaskill is working with a bipartisan group of Senators to craft new legislation aimed at combating sexual assault. The results of the survey, she said, should serve as a “wake-up call” because they show that many colleges are violating the law and failing to follow best practices in how they handle sexual assault cases.

“We think it’s really important that this information be used aggressively to inform colleges and universities that they are falling short,” she told reporters Wednesday.