If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, you can call the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 800-656-HOPE (4673) or visit hotline.rainn.org.
On September 16, 2026, a woman under the pseudonym “Jane Doe” filed a lawsuit against Cornell University, the Chi Phi fraternity, Delta Delta Delta sorority (commonly referred to as Tri Delta), the former president of the Xi chapter of Chi Phi fraternity at Cornell University, and seven current and former students at Cornell University. This lawsuit alleges that in 2024, seven Chi Phi fraternity members drugged and raped Doe over the course of seven hours. Chi Pi and Delta Delta Delta are being accused of negligence. Since then, conversations about sexual violence on campus have exploded across colleges and universities across the country.Â
Merrimack College is no exception, with clubs and organizations on campus releasing social media statements condemning rape and sexual violence, professors giving students space to share their feelings about the news, and an increased awareness of resources on campus for survivors.Â
Every woman I know, myself included, resonates in one way or another with Jane Doe’s story. Whether it be having their own experience with sexual assault, or knowing how to protect yourself from sexual violence — walking in pairs across campuses at night, discreetly carrying pepper spray on keychains, covering their drink at a party — it feels like the risk of sexual violence on campus is just a normal part of our college experience.Â
Sexual violence on college campuses has become normalized, to the point where the period of time from the beginning of the fall semester to Thanksgiving break — when more than half of sexual assaults on college campuses occur — has a name: “The Red Zone.” According to RAINN, one in eight students experience sexual violence in college, and one in four college women report experiencing non-consensual sexual contact since enrolling at their school.Â
Halloween, often celebrated on college campuses, falls in the middle of “The Red Zone.” While no specific statistic shows how many sexual assaults occur on college campuses on Halloween, I can’t help but think of how the holiday affects the risk of sexual violence on campus, and those who survived it.Â
It’s no secret that on-campus Halloween parties often involve alcohol and other substances. But, college women have the same right to go out and celebrate safely as their male peers, without having to worry about being taken advantage of. The responsibility of preventing an assault is often put on women — covering your drink, not drinking too much, going out as a group, and having a plan to get home. While looking out for one another is definitely important to helping us stay safe, where someone went or what they consumed never makes them at fault for their assault. That falls on the person who caused harm.
In cases of sexual assault, the victim’s clothing is too often used as a way to justify the act. Even the police, on-campus disciplinary boards, and wider cultural views of sexual violence ask: “Well, what were you wearing?” Halloween is no exception, with college students dressing up in costumes that may be deemed as an “invitation.” The National Sexual Violence Resource Center states that “extra emphasis is placed on what people wear, which commonly leads to slut shaming and victim-blaming.” Just like any other day of the year, placing blame for a sexual assault on the victim for their clothing excuses the person who actually committed the crime.Â
Sexual violence prevention is more than simply getting home safe at the end of the night. Prevention is not collegiate women doing or wearing the “right” thing to stay safe, because the responsibility for sexual assault will always fall on the assailants. However, there are actions that campus communities — including our own — can take to help prevent sexual violence on campus.Â
While statements offering sympathy and support to survivors may be comforting, clubs and organizations can also take action against sexual violence in their campus communities. This can look like voluntarily taking (or creating) opportunities to educate members about bystander intervention, rape culture on campus, and consent.Â
On an institutional level, college campuses can do their part by educating their student population on resources for survivors. This can include where students can report an assault, such as campus police departments or Title IX offices. Some campuses also offer victim advocates or counselors, who can provide services such as support in reporting an assault, accompaniment to forensic exams, and specific information about survivors’ rights in on-campus disciplinary proceedings. Most importantly, it is the responsibility of institutions to protect their students by ensuring they have created a campus culture of accountability and support.
We all have a responsibility to do our part to prevent on-campus sexual violence. Individuals must educate themselves about the risk of sexual assault on campus, how they can play a role in prevention, and how they can support survivors in their campus communities beyond Halloween.