A few years ago, UNC student Annie Clark sat across from her university administrator and painfully disclosed that she had been raped, to which the administrator responded, “Rape is like football. If you look back on the game, and you’re the quarterback, is there anything you would have done differently?”
This past month, Columbia student Emma Skulowicz received similar dismissive treatment when she stood before a panel of university officials to divulge the graphic details of her rape and was recieved with skepticism by a panelist who continuously questioned the legitimacy of her story because she didn’t understand how the painful sex act was “possible without lubrication.”
Just this week, Lexie Brackenridge of Williams College was reportedly persuaded by university administrators not to file a police report against her assailant, one of the university’s prized athletes. The assailant’s teammates then physically and verbally harassed Lexie, and when she reported the instances, administrators ignored her. Eventually her rapist was suspended for three semesters for a crime that is supposed to prompt years of jail time.
This is just a representative sample of the hundreds of cases that are mishandled by university officials across our nation every day, silencing the suffering of innocent victims. According to the Department of Education, 55 colleges and universities are currently under investigation for possible Title IX violations regarding sexual assault.
Why aren’t these issues being treated with the concern they deserve?
In a culture that heavily emphasizes women as sexual objects and widely accepts uncontrollable hyper-sexuality as normal male behavior, it is becoming more common for us to trivialize sexual assault. Instead of focusing on teaching men not to rape, we teach women not to get raped, normalizing violence against women and sexual coercion to the point that people truly believe that rape is inevitable and do nothing to change this.
As a result, rape is becoming more prevalent, and victims are becoming more fearful of speaking up; fewer than five percent of rapes and attempted rapes were reported in Isla Vista this past year.
The Good News:
While we may not realize it, as community members we perpetuate the attitudes that shape our environment. With awareness of our behavior we can change the status quo. Here are ten ways we can change our behavior to create a space where rape is discouraged and victims of sexual assault are not afraid to speak up:
- Discourage use of sexually violent language: We tell people to “go f*ck themselves” when we’re angry, use the term “tear you a new one” when we insult, and tell people to “suck it” when they threaten us. Such language that implies sexual aggression fosters an environment that is insensitive to the issue of sexual violence and encourages such behavior as an “everyday norm.”
- Stop Slut Shaming: On college campuses, sexually degrading labels are used excessively and without question. As Tina Fey once warned us, when we call each other “sluts” and “whores” we condone the labeling of women with such objectifying and dehumanizing terms by men, promoting patriarchal values and gender inequality. Additionally, the term “slut” presumes that a girl is always up for sexual acts, deeming her consent unnecessary. This label is used to justify acts of rape and shame victims into silence in fear of being blamed for the assault.
- Debunking the “one true rape narrative” myth: There is a prevailing idea that all rape cases fit into one, neat and tidy box with the same storyline and the same characters: that it is perpetrated by a stranger who abducts the victim against her will. However, rape can happen anywhere: outside, at a party, at the victim’s house, at the perpetrator’s house, at a house shared by the victim and the perpetrator. In 2/3 of all rape cases, the victim already knew the perpetrator. Just because the victim may invite a man into her home, even if the two of them have had sex previously, “no” still means “no,” and that is all that matters when defining rape. No one scenario should be considered any “more serious” or “more legitimate” than any other.
- Promoting enthusiastic consent: Avoiding a “no” does not translate to receiving consent. This is especially true when alcohol is involved and it is all too easy for a less-than-sober girl to be taken advantage of with the justification that she “didn’t say ‘no’.” Promote the idea that “yes” is the only real means of consent.
- Don’t laugh at rape: Jokes about rape foster insensitive attitudes towards the issue and perpetuate the notion that rape is something to be taken lightly, condoning such actions.
- Don’t assume rape can be prevented: I have heard several “precautions” suggested to women that will supposedly keep them from being raped–from “wear clothes and shoes that give you freedom of movement” to “be aware of your surroundings.” While such measures may help, they do not target the real problem. Focus on safety measures against rape emphasizes the idea that rape is somehow preventable, making it the victim’s fault for not being able to stop it.
- Don’t blame the victim: This February, I overheard some girls speaking of the gang rape that had just taken place here, saying “I don’t understand how you could let yourself get that drunk! What was that girl thinking?” and “She was probably dressed like a skank.” When someone gets shot, we never say “I can’t believe that guy had the nerve to not wear a bullet-proof vest!” No matter the circumstances, a crime is never the victim’s fault.
- Understanding that false accusations are not the norm: There is a misconception that women are constantly “crying wolf,” falsely accusing men of rape with some ulterior motive. Besides the fact that most women who do get raped are too afraid to report their attacks, out of the attacks that were reported, only 4% of them were unfounded. Not only is this assumption completely inaccurate, but it is also extremely offensive to victims of sexual assault as it deems ALL reports subject to speculation and incredibility, and discourages women from reporting in fear that they will be called liars.
- Calling out street harassment when you see it: Objectification is the basis of rape culture. When you hear catcalls either directed at you or your friends on the streets of IV, don’t look the other way. Say something. The less this behavior is condemned, the more normalized it becomes.
- Be aware of our campus resources: 1 in 5 women will be raped at one point in their lives meaning that, unfortunately, one or more of your friends has been or will be a victim of sexual assault. If anyone you know tells you that they have been—or may have been—raped, assure her that her feelings are legitimate and make sure she is aware of the resources available on our campus that will provide her with the help she needs.
Campus Advocacy Resources & Education– 805-893-461
Counseling and Psychological Services– 805-893-4411
IV Foot Patrol– 805-681-4179
UC Police Department– 805-893-3446
Judicial Affairs– 805-893-4569
Office of Equal Opportunity & Sexual Harassment/Title IX Compliance– 805-893-2701