When Brock Turner made headlines in June, the world was shocked to learn about his six-month jail sentence. What wasn’t so shocking, however, was his crime: raping an intoxicated and unconscious young woman behind a dumpster on the Stanford University campus. And there lies the problem. Rape and sexual assault are horrific violations of humans and their basic rights, yet it is so prevalent on college campuses that it’s sometimes even part of the culture. The National Sexual Violence Resource Center reports that one in five women and one in 16 men are sexually assaulted while in college. It has become necessary for my friends to call me as they walk back to their apartments late at night, or carry pepper spray in their bags — even while they’re with other friends (according to RAINN, 3 out of 4 rapes are committed by someone known to the victim).
This needs to change.
If college is truly about change, exploration, and growth, we need to extend that to the sexual culture on college campuses as well. We must eradicate rape culture, change the language and culture surrounding sex so that we freely and safely engage in sexual exploration, and grow as a community that values human beings and their right to bodily autonomy.
And it’s truly up to us. Students are the heart and soul of colleges, and they have powerful, undeniable voices that can work to create a safe, healthy, and sex-positive sexual cultures on their campuses. Here’s how.
1. Identify and call out situations or comments that are sexist, homophobic, transphobic, racist, ableist or otherwise discriminatory.
Comments like these are not conducive to a safe social environment — instead, they perpetuate the idea that it is acceptable to violate, objectify, and hurt others. If situations like this exist, they’re strong indicators that a rape culture also exists. By either intervening in problematic situations as they occur or proactively preventing violence by spreading messages of safety and respect, we can be active bystanders.
2. Take intersectional action.
You’re a multi-dimensional person and so are all of your peers. You all have different abilities, identities and communities that you belong to. If you are going to take action in changing sexual culture, it is important to do so intersectionally. Ensure that every space you operate in – including Greek life, sports teams, clubs or extracurricular activities — is inclusive and safe for everyone else within those spaces. This might also include advocating for safe sex education about all forms of consensual sex among partners with different gender identities, expressions, and sexualities.
3. Promote education about consent.
You may have noticed that I used the word consensual when describing sex just above. That’s because consent isn’t just sexy; it’s also mandatory for a healthy sexual culture. Educate yourself and your peers about consent, even if you think you’ve heard it before! Consent must be clear, specific, and freely, enthusiastically given. If it’s forced, assumed, or given under the influence of drugs or alcohol, it’s not actually consent. And it must be given every time a sex act occurs — one “yes” doesn’t apply to everything!
4. Know what resources are available to you and your peers on campus in the case of rape or sexual assault, and promote these resources as necessary.
There are a number of resources available to survivors of sexual violence in and around Davis, including CARE, the WRRC, and the LBTQIARC. But there are additional resources as well (including off-campus ones), and a full list is available here. However, it’s important to keep in mind that some campus resources, like Student Judicial Affairs, are non-confidential, which means that the person you choose to speak with may be obligated to report your sexual assault. If you’d prefer to seek assistance and keep it confidential, turn to the first six resources on the list.
5. Know what resources are available to advocates of a safer sexual culture.
If you have made it to this sentence, you’re likely pretty invested in changing the sexual culture on campus, and that’s awesome. Know that sexual violence is preventable, especially if you get involved in advocacy — and luckily, there are plenty of ways to do that! To learn more about sexual violence prevention and education at Davis, consider volunteering with one of the centers listed above or check out this website for more in-depth training.
If you or someone you know is a victim of sexual violence and you need immediate support, know that there are resources available to you.
UC Davis CARE hotline: 530-752-3299
Empower Yolo hotline: 530-662-1133
National Sexual Assault hotline: 1-800-656-4673