**Trigger Warning: This article contains discussion of sexual misconduct.**
The beginning of the school year brings many things: new students, returning friends, stacks of homework, and variable weather. One aspect of the new year many may not have expected was the slew of information on sexual misconduct. Whether it be through Title IX training and information sessions, articles in the Collegian newspaper, or emails from various groups, an awareness of the situation has been thrown at many. I too was thrown into the onslaught of information, and as I was reading, wondered what were other students’ reactions to the information. Did students even read any of the statistics found in the Collegian or sent out by President Decatur? Were others as shocked and unsettled as I was? Everyone knows that there is a problem with sexual misconduct on college campuses, but these reports told of actual students at MY college who were experiencing these situations. The reports made it real. Most importantly, I wondered if students felt less safe knowing the statistics.
To answer these questions, I started asking. I found that several, like Gordon O’Brien, Class of 2019, and Dana Oakes, Class of 2018, hadn’t read either the Collegian or the email. Class of 2018’s Kraig Davis in response to not reading the Collegian said “usually I try to but I just have not at all this year.”
Students who read the statistics had varying reactions. Several were surprised by the report. Ben Moon-Black, Class of 2019, said he “was surprised and a little saddened by the results.” A female student from the Class of 2017 confided “I wasn’t surprised, but I wasn’t unshaken about the results either. I guess I knew that sexual assault on college campuses is a big issue, and that Kenyon could not be an exception to the rule—I just never had to deal with it myself, so I was blind to the reality of what is really going on amongst my peers.” Lucas Mukai, Class of 2019, was shocked by the numbers, but also knew there were several parts to sexual misconduct, “I was a little surprised and unsettled, since it was about one in every ten people [who were] sexually assaulted in some way, especially on such a small campus. However, it was important to note that it ranged from unwanted touching to being forced.” This view was shared by several upperclassmen. Lauren Earls, Class of 2016, highlighted the complex meaning of sexual misconduct, saying “I think that the statistics were pretty much what I expected, unfortunately. Because of the way that Sexual Misconduct is defined I think it encompasses a number of different things, making the statistics high but appropriately so. It’s important that people know that Sexual Misconduct does not only mean rape, but also a number of other things.” There was a difference according to the statistics sent out by President Decatur, almost 20% of those surveyed experienced unwanted verbal remarks, while the percentage for sexual assault was near 10%. Sexual assault rate is half that of verbal abuse, but 10% still means 1 in every 10 students experience sexual assault. Reagan Neviska, Class of 2017, shared her personal experience and reaction to the results, “I want to say I was completely surprised by what I read, and I was by the actual number, but not that things like this are occurring. I was of course unsettled and saddened. However, I think that people often look over the fact that even small schools like Kenyon can be dangerous. I remember Freshman Year telling my ex (boyfriend at the time) that I didn’t want to walk home alone at night on a weekend. His response was ‘It’s Kenyon.’ As if Kenyon is inherently safe because of it’s size, and I’ve heard this sentiment repeated many times since then. I hope that if people start realizing that assault can happen anywhere, even in environments we think are safe, that we can start to address and fix the problem.”
This brings up my final question, what was the effect the report had on peoples feeling of safety? Ben Moon-Black said “no, not really” when asked if he felt less safe and that “I was trying to be cautious before I learned the results.” Lucas Mukai said that the report “doesn’t affect [his feeling of safety] much. I believe that one of the primary factors brought up was alcohol, so it appears that this was primarily a result of parties. I still believe I can feel safe on campus, knowing that there are a lot of policies in place to help protect us.” Alcohol does play a major part in sexual assault on campus. According to the statistics, alcohol was a part of the situation in over 60% of situations. Inês Forjaz de Lacerda agrees saying she is “more concerned” but “hope[s] that Kenyon’s enforced Title IX policies [will] help change these results over time.”
As for myself, I can’t help the wariness I feel when I walk alone or go to parties. Before the reports, I was in a cocoon. I knew, but it hadn’t hit me that I might need to be worried. I was cautious before coming to Kenyon, going to a strange place can make anyone worried, but after the reports I found myself looking at the internet for ‘self-defense tips’ and remembering my parents advice to protect myself and watch what I drink. Nothing had changed on campus, but my awareness changed.
Knowing these facts comes at a price for some, but these facts are crucial for growth of the campus and safety of the students. I learned the reactions to the sexual misconduct varied, but the key idea to note is that now we are aware. We now know the facts behind a subject many want to push to the side, and I believe that is the first step to making a change on campus for the increased safety of all students.
Image Credit: University of Texas, Western Kentucky University, Alive Campus