I am a current female student at the University of Connecticut and I absolutely love the school. I have been able to make some great friends, take classes with the most open and inspiring professors, and partake in the immense school pride at school events and sports. However, there is an issue here at UConn that has been made startlingly clear this past month: safety.
UConn student Leonardo Villanes-Medina, 23, pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl in 2018. Now he is also facing fourth-degree sexual assault charges for a recent incident in October of last year. However, despite this repeated, repulsive behavior, he was found to still be enrolled at the university. It is also still unclear if he has any sort of student conduct reviews or sanctions being completed by the university while still attending school.
It is concerning for a multitude of students attending school at UConn to know that their school is letting a known sexual abuser attend here. This decision brings into question if students are truly safe on campus if this is how sexual assault is handled. It is saddening this is a concern as college is meant to be a time of fun and excitement about young adulthood.
It is even more saddening to know this is not the first time sexual assault cases have not been handled properly at UConn. For example, at the beginning of the year, students walked out in protest after fellow student Alexandra Docken spoke out about UConn silencing her about being raped. It is clear this has been a recurring issue on campus that still needs to change.
While there are so many things done well at UConn, this is one thing that does need to be changed. Students should not be worried while attending school that they may be in a classroom with someone who may harm them. In addition, it is important to point out almost all campuses across the United States of America have similar issues, making Villanes-Medina still being enrolled a bigger reflection on the safety of schools across the country.