Recently, Rolling Stone magazine published a story exposing the University of Virginia’s extreme lack of attention to the dangers of sexual assault its students face.
The article discussed the brutal gang rape of an 18-year-old freshman that had taken place at a fraternity and the lack of care and support the victim received when she tried to speak about her attack.
The article seems to have finally gotten UVA to show interest in addressing this issue, and it should also bring the issue to the attention of other universities with high levels of sexual assault.
Rape is a horrible crime so pervasive on college campuses across the U.S. that it seems nobody is even shocked by it anymore, a fact that disgusts me.
UF is not an exception in this case.
We were all shocked by the assaults that happened at the beginning of this semester.
However, now that nothing has been reported recently, it appears we have all decided to conveniently forget about the assaults and the fact that the person responsible was never caught.
I see patrol cars parked at Library West and around West University Avenue, but I rarely see any officers.
Is this supposed to make me feel safe?
Just because there aren’t assaults being neatly chimed to us in UF Alert text messages, it doesn’t mean there are no assaults taking place.
In fact, the opposite is true.
As this semester draws to a close, I’d like us all to remember that the issues that were serious at the beginning of the year are just as serious now.
UVA isn’t the only college that has been exposed for having a weak discipline policy regarding sexual assault.
We’ve all heard about Columbia University’s lax indifference regarding the “Carry That Weight” anti-sexual assault campaign started by student Emma Sulkowicz. Recently, Columbia even attempted to fine the organization formed by Sulkowicz to support victims of assault for demonstrating its protest on campus.
It seems to me that many universities in the U.S. claim to support the victims of rape but only back up this supposed support with concrete action when there is an outside push.
Only now that there is an article published in a national magazine about a specific instance of rape on campus does UVA take steps to end sexual assault at its institution.
One can only hope these actions of support will continue.
The Thanksgiving holiday is a time to not just give thanks for the safety of our family and friends but for the safety and well-being of other human beings around the world, including other students attending college.
When the safety of these individuals is compromised or not considered worthy enough to protect by the university they attend, we are all threatened.
Universities across the country need to continue to show actions of support to victims of sexual assault, as well as continue to take preventive measures and maintain severe policies against rape.
We need to remember, as a student body, that every one of us can help to take action.
Sally Greider is a UF English and public relations sophomore. Her columns appear on Tuesdays.
[The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the Alligator.]
[A version of this story ran on page 6 on 11/25/2014]
