On Monday evening, an anonymous Twitter user known only by the grim handle @RapedAtSpelman used a series of Tweets to chronicle how she was allegedly gang raped at a party by four Morehouse students. She writes that while at a party with friends, she went into the bathroom to throw up. Upon coming out of the bathroom, the student says she was surrounded by Morehouse students, who “took me to another room and took turns raping me.” She explains that she does not plan to continue attending Spelman College, a liberal arts women’s college in Atlanta, Ga., after her traumatic experience.
This is my freshmen year at Spelman and my last year because I decided to leave after what happened to me.
— Raped At Spelman (@RapedAtSpelman) May 2, 2016
The anonymous student goes on to describe how when she finally met with school administrators after filing a report a month before, she was accosted with questions about what she was wearing and why she had participated in underage drinking. It seems like administrative officials were not asking the right questions at all, but in fact made the situation much worse.
drinking under age. The Dean also said that Spelman & Morehouse are brother & sister so I should give them a pass. I never felt so worthless
— Raped At Spelman (@RapedAtSpelman) May 2, 2016
If these tweets are true, than Spelman College needs to re-consider its priorities. The fact that inter-school relations take precedence over a student’s pain and the injustice that she has experienced is inconceivable in this day and age. The only consolation in this troubling story is the outpouring of support that from students at both Spelman and Morehouse after seeing the Tweets. Students have been posting on social media with the hashtags #RapedAtSpelman and #RapedByMorehouse to raise awareness.
AUC students silent protesting @Spelman to speak out against the silencing of rape victims. #RapedByMorehouse pic.twitter.com/b3MmS4ndL0
— Avery. (@Philosavery) May 3, 2016
“Our hearts go out to this student and I want to personally offer her our full support and assistance,” Spelman President Mary Schmidt Campbell told BuzzFeed News in a statement. “We are a family at Spelman and we will not tolerate any episode of sexual violence. No student should ever have to suffer and endure the experience she has recounted on social media. Spelman is conducting a full and thorough review of these events.”
BuzzFeed also reports that the school has hired a new Title IX and compliance director, and is currently reviewing its policies regarding sexual violence.