Deborah Harley appointed new Sexual Violence Investigation Officer

By Sydney Schaedel 01/13/16 2:48am

Philadelphia attorney Deborah Harley was appointed to the position of Penn Sexual Violence Investigative Officer after her predecessor, Christopher Mallios, left in November to become a judge of Philadelphia’s Court of Common Pleas. Mallios was elected in November 2015. 

Harley said in an email that she assumed her duties on Nov. 23, which, according to the University’s website, include “managing and investigating complaints against enrolled Penn students alleging violations of the University’s Sexual Violence, Relationship Violence and Stalking policy.”

The position was created last year as part of a series of amendments to Penn's sexual violence policy, alongside increased coordination between the university and the legal system and a transition to all-faculty disciplinary panels.

Harley has worked in private practice specializing in family law, civil law, criminal law and campus sexual misconduct matters, as well as in the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office. She served on and co-chaired a number of committees addressing topics relevant to her current position, including the Mayor’s Task Force on Domestic Violence and the Philadelphia Sexual Assault Advisory Council.

The cases that Mallios was handling have been transferred to Harley.

“It is my duty to fairly and effectively address complaints," she said, "treating the parties with respect." 

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