As many of you have probably noticed from the giant banner in Buntrock Commons, it is Sexual Assault Awareness Month and along with April showers (sorry, I mean flurries), S.A.R.N (Sexual Assault Resource Network) has put on a number of Wellness events this April. Now not only are these events enticing through their double-stamp incentive, they’re also highly informative of healthy relationship practices; ranging from maintaining relationships in college to hearing stories of survivors of sexual assault. I happened to attend both of the events. Props to S.A.R.N because they were really helpful, but this week, in honor of Sexual Assault Awareness month, I’ll be discussing some of the more weighted consequences of sex.
First and foremost, I want to commend the young women who spoke at the panel: all were poised, elegant, articulate, and poignant. All the stories of the various women varied in circumstances, points in the process of recovery, and emotional themes ranging from the use and importance of communication to guilt. What has been particularly striking to me throughout my years at St. Olaf is the lack of male attendance at the events. I’m not blaming the male population at St. Olaf because generally, I believe that the people, as a whole, are respectful and sensitive to serious issues like rape and sexual assault. However, rape and sexual assault is an issue that compacts both females and males and is something both sexes should be extensively aware of.
There are so many ambiguities within sexual assault and often times, victims of sexual assault believe that it is their fault. As one of the women so poignantly stated, “I could have walked into a room naked and it still wouldn’t have been my fault.” Often times, victims of sexual assault are under the influence of alcohol at the time of the attack. But if a man or woman is intoxicated at the time of the assault, it is still considered sexual assault because the victim is unable to give consent. According to The National Center for Victims of Crime, “Of female sexual assault victims, 73 percent were assaulted by someone they knew” so the ambiguities extend beyond whether or not someone is drunk or not.
Confronting rape or sexual assault is possibly one of the more difficult steps in the process. Through the gray and ambiguous nature of sexual assault, it is difficult to recognize that you were a victim of something terrible and that it was not your fault. Even though you might think that sexual assault is something you will never come across, it is important to be well-informed as to what constitutes sexual assault for both men and women. So thank you, S.A.R.N, for putting on a beautiful panel and many thanks to the women who shared their stories.