BYU stops honor-code reviews of sex abuse victims

SALT LAKE CITY – Students at Brigham Young University who report sexual assault will no longer be investigated for possible violations of the Mormon-owned school’s strict honor code that bans such things as alcohol use.

The change is one of several recommendations announced Wednesday by a faculty council that reviewed how the college handles sexual assault cases.

The investigation began in May after female students and alumni spoke out against the school’s practice of opening honor code investigations of students who report abuses. All BYU students must agree to the honor code forbidding premarital sex and drinking.

The school also will create a confidential victim advocate and prohibit sharing victim information with the honor code office.

The findings won’t end an ongoing investigation by federal education officials about how it handles sexual assault reports.