(Hagatna, Guam) Gov. Calvo empaneled an independent team to investigate the University of Guam’s handling of recent sexual assault and harassment allegations involving a professor.
Mark Calvo, the Governor’s Chief of Staff, wrote to Vice Speaker Benjamin Cruz, Sen. Brant McCreadie, and survivor advocate Rebecca Elmore today informing them of their selection by the Governor to head this investigation.
“You were all chosen because of your known commitment to justice,” Mark Calvo wrote in his letter.
The Chief of Staff said it’s important to consider “that the appearance of impropriety, discouragement of reporting, deliberate indifference, or perception of a cover-up may have created an effect that discourages and intimidates student, staff, and faculty victims and witnesses of sex crimes from speaking up.”
Adelup is gravely concerned that UOG’s handling of this issue has caused a chilling effect, sending victims of violence and abuse back into prisons of fear and silence. The last thing a silent victim of violence and abuse needs is an example of other victims’ reports being mishandled, or people in authority punishing people for speaking up.
“As long as doubt lingers over whether officials will protect those who report sex crimes and sexual harassment, victims and witnesses will likely remain silent and endure their suffering. We will not tolerate that environment anywhere. Nor should we tolerate retaliation against anyone who complains of sexual harassment or provides information in connection with any such complaint,” Calvo wrote.
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