On the night of September 10, 2015, Carroll auditorium was packed with students and faculty, eager to hear the word of Andrea Pino and Annie Clark. If you are not familiar with those names, these are the women who’s stories are featured in the documentary the Hunting Ground. This documentary is an exposé of rape crimes on U.S. college campuses, their institutional cover-ups, and the devastating toll they take on students and their families. In the film, three reported cases of rape that occurred between students of Saint Mary’s and Notre Dame were featured.
Andrea and Annie started their presentation by putting a picture of Lizzy Seeberg up on the screen. Chills ran through my body as they told us that it was the 5 year anniversary of her death, making this conversation all the more real for everyone in the room. We honored her with a moment of silence, reminding ourselves why we were there and why this conversation is so important to have.
Andrea and Annie, both survivors, shared with us their stories, and why they got involved in these issues. They gave us an overview of our rights as students and as women. The facts they gave us reiterated that this is a national epidemic, affecting college campuses everywhere. Another important point they made is that everyone needs to be included in this conversation. This issue does not discriminate, and we should not when coming up with solutions. One of the most important points of this presentation was that everyone can do something. We all have the ability to be activists. A quote from their presentation said-
“Everyday activism is the radical notion that everyone can play a part in ending violence and oppression by resisting rape cultures, supporting survivors, and challenging our institutions.”
You, too, can do your part. There are so many opportunities on our campus to educate yourself on the issues and to learn how you can help yourself and your friends. We are a sisterhood here, and we must all do our part to care for our sisters. If you are a survivor, know that you have confidential resources on our campus. Those resources are Connie Adams, the director of B.A.V.O, the counselors at the Health and Counseling center, and Campus Ministry. If a friend confides in you that she has been assaulted, the first thing you should say is, “I believe you. You are not alone. It is not your fault.” Share with her the resources she has on campus. Be a support system. Listen to what they have to say. You will not be able to fully understand what they are going through because everyone will go through this traumatic experience in a different way.
Even if you do not know someone directly impacted there are still steps you can be taking to create a culture of change on our campus. If you are left with questions about the Title IX process, BAVO will be hosting an event on September 30 at 7pm in Vander Vennet. If you are looking for ways you can prevent violence from happening, I would highly recommend Green Dot training in order to learn how to be an active bystander. Also take the time to learn the resources available on our campus and how to give the best support, because you never know when you or a friend might need it. Participate in discussions on campus; encourage faculty and administration to create at the change as well. As Andrea and Annie said, we challenge our school because we love it. We want it to be the best Saint Mary’s possible. Yes, there is progress, but our goal is a completely violence free campus. The only way we can get there is by supporting each other and actively demanding change.