Solidarity in Breaking the Silence- by Bradley University blogger Ashley

It’s never an easy move to make the decision to share the truth of your assault with a friend or trusted loved one, and it’s even harder to share this truth with “strangers” in your college community. Unless you attend a very small institution, the likelihood of even 15% of the school population recognizing you is slim. Regardless of whether we personally know each other or not, we are now united as a family larger than our parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, grandparents, etc. Just because we don’t know each other doesn’t mean we can’t support each other, right?

Unfortunately, there tends to be an overwhelming sense of disbelief when word gets around that someone is “claiming” to have been assaulted. Instead of first worrying about the victim, many people jump to blaming the person— “Oh, well how can we be sure that really happened? You know people lie to get attention.” I understand why so many survivors remain silent.

Even when it seems like so many people are against you, or simply so nonchalant because you’re not their friend or family, there are still many people ready to support you the minute you break your silence. On campus, if the opportunities are not already present, there are other ways to share your experience with others.

•  At this year’s Vagina Monologues, some women walked up and stated that they were a survivor or supported survivors. This sparked conversations after the show that resulted in survivors feeling less alone and others joining the fight to end sexual assault.
• If you’re a writer, writing a poem and sharing it at an open mic night is another platform to share. People learn what paths you’ve walked and view you as an even stronger person for speaking in a room full of (mostly) unfamiliar faces. You also never know who’s in the crowd and really appreciates your strength to speak up when they cannot.
•  Bring a survivor to speak on campus and share your story after their presentation. It’s not super easy to bring speakers to campus, but with the support of other campus organizations, this is one of the best ways to get other survivors on campus to share their experience, as well as reach the larger campus community. Hearing how someone has moved forward in life after their experience can ignite courage in so many others to break the silence.
•  During weeks dedicated to sexual assault prevention and education, consider having a table in a central location on campus. Not only can you educate your fellow colleagues in an informal way, but you can also share your story with those who choose to stop by and listen.

These are just a few ways that survivors can at least feel more comfortable with sharing their experience with the campus community. No one’s expecting you to walk on stage a week later and yell to the world that you are a survivor; healing takes time. You will heal even more and grow stronger the day you share your story. Your story is important and should be heard. You are a survivor.

Can survivors be more vocal about their attacks? What are some ways survivors can safely share their trauma with others as a teaching tale? by Blogger Jade

I think one of the hardest thoughts to grasp concerning an attack is that often times it will happen from someone you know or someone you are in a relationship with.




After an attack sharing your survivor story can seem impossible. It is hard enough to admit to yourself that this happened. The fact is: it did happen and it might seem easier to keep this a secret. What you may not understand is that you can help yourself and others by sharing your story.





When I was attending college we had an event called “Take Back the Night.” It was a weeklong event filled with activities and awareness about rape and violence against women. Survivors could write their stories on shirts anonymously to be hung on close line in the student center. They could also share their story in a panel with other survivors, or speak publicly on a stage at the awareness walk. Not only can sharing their story be healing for the survivor, it can also bring public awareness to this epidemic. Some may feel that they cannot tell their story to the public. Journaling about what happened or telling a trusted friend can be therapeutic as well.





Saying out loud what happened to you can give you strength. You are not a victim to rape you are a survivor.

The Responsibility of Colleges by blogger Katiera Sordjan, UPenn

    Even in 2013, with the constant exposure to the topic, we as a society are still uncomfortable talking about sex. 
    
    When it comes to rape, we are even more at a loss. College is supposed to be the time for students to discover themselves, learn, and prepare for their futures. But if they fall victim to rape, all of that is interrupted.

    Students from schools across the country, such as Amherst and Dartmouth, have come forward with complaints of Title IX violations following incidents of rape and sexual assault on their campuses. This law requires that all students receive equal treatment regardless of sex, and that schools take measures to address and prevent sexual violence on campus. 
    
    Colleges and universities are also mandated under the Clery Act to record and disclose all crimes that happen on campus. Higher education is a business, and like any other, can be impacted by bad publicity. Due to the corporative nature of schools, and the prevalence of rape culture, administrators may face sexual assault victims with a collective shrug. 

    In order to change the rate of assault on campus, universities must take responsibility for both their faculty and their students. Employees and first-year students should be required to complete courses on sexual violence prevention. Schools must also add this education to their alcohol awareness programs, as well as encourage students to report sexual violence. Instead of merely suggesting a victim take time off of school, a student guilty of assault should be expelled immediately. 

    Any university that fails to comply with these measures must face serious legal consequences, regardless of their worth and prestige. With all of the pressures that higher education brings, students should be treated with compassion and get justice. It does not make sense that stealing from the university bookstore can come with more repercussions than violating another student's body.

Resurrecting your soul and you -by blogger Snehal Gajare

Rape is a devastating nightmare that comes with a set of soul piercing arrows in the life of a survivor. These arrows are full of humiliation passing through the mind, soul, body and the existence of the survivor making his/her life miserable. Yes, you read it right. Even men are subjected to rape by women or other men. Today, we are not discussing about rape. Instead, we shall discuss about how survivors of rape can resurrect themselves and others who have witnessed the same trauma.

Speaking about Rape can be a social  good:

All I want to say is that when a  rape survivor steps forward shunning the veil of shame falsely imposed by the society on him/her, this is a mere beginning of a revolution. This revolution is to bring in a positive change in the social arena thereby inspiring others to break their silence and fight for their right of living with dignity. This social whirlpool of aspersions and verbal slamming encircling the survivors can be squashed only when the rape survivors muster all the courage and challenge the social hypocrisy. It is well known that rape survivors often refrain from speaking publically about the sexual assault. It is often seen that most of the perpetrators are serial rapists who keep on repeating the offence over and over again. This is the probable reason as to why the rape survivors must report the sexual assault and save the lives of other innocent people who can be victims.

Come forward. Speak your mind and lead others:

The most heart wrecking incidences are the ones where rapes are reported, followed by criminal trials that often end up releasing the perpetrator for lack of evidence. Here justice is not only denied but buried deep within the courtroom walls. When survivors speak, we are bound by a moral obligation to help her/him in seeking justice. A public outcry can do wonders. As a survivor you can even pen your thoughts, experiences, feelings your resurrection story into a book that can serve as an inspirational story for others who wish to speak but are often caught into the clutches of blame, shame, social pressure.

Today, there are numerous organizations across the globe for helping the rape survivors. Approach them. Sharing your story with other peers can provide them a secured feeling that they are not alone and speaking up is going to help them resurrect themselves.

How can families discuss with their daughters and sons the issue of consent and the reality of sexual assault on campuses? by Benedictine University blogger Karly

One important thing that every family should tell their kids before they leave for college is to stay alert, and be aware of who and what they get involved with. Some families are broken, and without a mother or a father it can be hard raising kids. But no matter what kind of family a child grows up in, a subject as serious as sexual assault and being aware of it should be discussed. The issue of consent is sometimes hard to explain but if families are open and if they build strong relationships with one another, these touchy subjects will be easy to talk about.





The reality of sexual assault on campuses is a scary thing but if students don’t hide what they see or have had done to them; it will be easier to prevent it happening again to anyone else. Guardians of students going into college need to educate their sons and daughters on real life situations that may happen to them. These unfortunate assaults can happen to anyone; even if you are being safe there is always a risk of something happening. But knowing how to prevent it or how to be alert of situations are things that families should discuss just incase a sexual assault situation does occur. Families share your love with your kids and make sure they are ready for these kinds of situations.

Rape Prevention and Feminism Can be a Male Thing Too by blogger Lauren

I purpose a question: Should men have responsibility in rape prevention? Why yes, with an equal amount as women should have. When it comes to educating oneself in the realities of sexual assault, it ought not to be a gendered thing; both genders can be involved in this responsibility.


Here is another thought-provoking question: Can men be feminists? Is “feminism” restricted only to females? I believe modern day feminists withhold two stereotypes, other than the obvious, being female—bitter and biased. A person does not have to be a woman who detests the ground men walk on and thinks they are out to destroy the world. No, a feminist is anyone who sees with an open, sociological perspective and understands the realities that hide within the shadows of society.


So to believe that men do not hold any responsibility in rape prevention is a sexist thought. Both genders are accused as suspects, as well as being victims. It is not the typical scenario seen on television: single white female attacked by a stranger in a dark alley. Feminists see beyond the stereotypes and bias thinking and advocate for not only equality, but for the realities of social issues to come forth. Feminists understand that certain issues, such as rape, have gray areas.


Therefore, at the end of the day, it is up to the individual to take advantage of this responsibility. Whoever proclaims that rape awareness is strictly a female-oriented issue is certainly not a feminist.

Rape Prevention by blogger Shaleen

It is common knowledge that many traditional families instill the thought that men should “protect” women but when it comes to stopping or acknowledging a possible sexual assault, many question themselves. We see all the time in movies that when men see an assault, he stutters or questions himself and how he would be viewed. Many colleges are stopping the victim from speaking out of even pressing charges. The lack of prevention is outstanding because educated human beings should know that it is not a woman’s fault, ever.

Women are taught to not get raped instead of men getting taught not to rape. It’s a simple enough concept but then again, it happens. Zerlina Maxwell from Ebony.com, wrote an article called, “5 Ways We Can Teach Men Not to Rape.” I understand where articles like the get their theme of the article but that thought should be instilled in everyone from birth. It should not have to be taught.

Every man and woman are responsible for their actions, including not stopping someone be raped. Education equals prevention. There are many men who are feminists from Jimmy Carter to Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Where these men consider themselves a feminist or the media spanned their words, I’ll never know. All that aside, feminism is the radical notion that all women are human beings.

College Men and Rape by blogger Katiera

The truths behind rape on college campuses are unsettling. About one-third of college men report that they would commit rape if they knew they would get away with the crime. When the word rape is not used, this percentage rises to more than half.

The behaviors and thoughts surrounding sex and rape are deeply engrained in our culture, and are learned at a young age. College men not only have a responsibility to not force sex on a person who does not or cannot consent, but to help prevent their male peers from doing the same. Expecting the victims of rape, who are predominantly female and/or LGBTA+ individuals, to shoulder this burden alone will ensure the source of the issue will never be fully addressed.

The push to reduce such drastic rates of rape can fall under the feminism movement, which seeks to reverse the harmful culture patriarchy has created in our society. But many men and women alike still hold harmful, stereotypical views of feminists: that they are irrational, angry, man-hating women. Being a feminist solely means that you believe both men and women should have equal opportunities and rights in their society. Most people would agree with this sentiment. Not only can men be feminists, but they should be, and by identifying as such they can help eliminate the negative stigmas surrounding the topic. Feminism is not exclusive, nor are its benefits. On college campuses, education must extend to these crucial and pertinent issues.

The epidemic of Rape culture - by blogger Snehal

What is Rape culture? There is no single generic definition of Rape culture as it incorporates all acts, images, laws, prevalent attitudes, jokes, norms, words etc that considers sexual coercion and violence against women to be normal; thus making rape an inevitable act. Rape culture is a social evil often misconstrued to be a mere nonexistent term, unacceptable in the social arena. The fact is Rape culture is an offspring of the social mindset that nourishes misogyny, violent masculinity and inequality among the sexes, hence making it a no big deal situation. Objectification of women is so deep rooted in the world outside that stigmatizing overpowers humanity and rape survivors have to face the socio-political, socio – cultural wrath.

The tendency to blame the rape victims is backed by the thought process and decisive beliefs of the fault finding observers. It is assumed that the victim has done something concrete to attract the assault. If stigmatization is so important then stigmatize the rapist for his wrong .When social pressures are asserted to victimize the rape survivors, they end up building a prison full of faults in their minds. Such an internal suffocation injures the victim gravely in comparison to the physical one.  The perpetrators are not solely responsible for creation of this rape culture; it is also the society who should take equal responsibility for letting this rape culture affirm its roots. So let us all pledge today to uproot this rape culture and destroy it forever.

Here is how we can put an end to the rape culture:

1.       Co-relating rape to the attire of the victim is not appropriate. Women wearing long, full, decent dresses have also been raped.

2.       Teaching boys and girls to respect each other. As a parent or a teacher it is our duty to imbibe the qualities of compassion, empathy and kindness in your children/ students. This will mould them to be good human beings.

3.       Men should also step forward to condemn rape and rape culture. Likewise, it is better to teach boys not to rape girls than teaching girls not to get raped.

4.       Rape is not inevitable. Never consider it to be one. It is a serious issue that needs to be addressed properly. It is important to penalize the perpetrators of rape.

5.       Stop blaming the victims for rapes. It’s not their fault. Never be a dumb bystander witnessing sexual assault. Try fighting it out.

As a feminist, I feel rape culture is the result of ignorance and illiteracy concerning rape. Friends, it’s time that we work together to spread awareness and eradicate this epidemic that not only disgraces women but also wounds their souls.

A double standard by blogger Shaleen.

“Double standards aren't anti feminist,” according the author of the AskMen column “It’s a Man’s world,” Ian Lang. He calls double standards insipid logic, that bases the entire argument on general assumptions. His arguments has some depth but then again, he is also using general assumptions in his article “The Double Standard.” If anyone has read the column, you’ll know what I’m talking about. (I have added the link down below)


True, women and men are different but people are equal in value rather than size or quantity, which is what Ian Lang is arguing against. His point is trying to argue that women basically have it easy. If a woman want’s to go out and pick up a guy, she is giving him what he wanted in the first place. If a man went out and tried to pick up a woman, he would have to have “game” to even get a chance at sleeping with the girl. What I’m understanding is that women can’t go out and have sex with random strangers because men don’t have the capacity in many situations to say no. I beg to differ. Another situation this author has pointed out is that if a woman starts bragging about her sexcapades aka sexual escapade, she would be classified as a slut. I've been on this earth for a couple of years now, and I have heard many men do the same thing. Although, not once have I heard anyone call them sluts.


There is still a big double standard that women are not sexual creatures. Women are held to a certain extent. Women who have a lot of sex are tramps but a women who does not is a prude or virginal. It goes the same for men also, a man who have many female friends is a heart breaker and those who are the opposite are classified as geeky.





http://www.askmen.com/entertainment/austin_600/662_double-standards.html

No means a big No - by blogger Snehal Gajare

"Consent"- What is it? Is it important? Who cares? How dare she refuse me?........ And then the male chauvinist monster attacks the girl/woman. He forgets that he is denying her the basic right of voicing her choice about what is happening to her mind and body. As a woman I strongly condemn such an act where a woman's right of bodily integrity and autonomy is not only neglected but crushed. Every woman on this planet has the right to say "No".  It’s simple, ‘No’ means a clear, big and bold “No”.

When 'Yes' is easily understood and accepted, what's the issue in understanding and accepting its antonym 'No'? A study conducted by United Nations by surveying 10000 men in 6 Asia Pacific countries (the word “Rape” was not mentioned, instead men were questioned if they ever forced a lady to indulge in sex) has revealed that "sexual entitlement" (a mindset where a man considers that he has an automatic control over the body of woman irrespective of what the woman wants) is the trigger that drives men to rape women. Another shocking outcome of the survey was that some men admitted to raping women for entertainment to fight boredom. A small set of men cited anger as the reason for forcing women.  Shut Up! Wake up Guys! Come out of your world of fantasy. Rape is not a joke; it’s a heinous crime that seizes the entire existence of a woman, leaving her soul panic stricken, wounded for life. Furthermore, our ‘so called patriarchal society’ depicts its double standards by drowning the Rape victim into the pond of shame with a tagline "It’s your Fault"; whereas the excuse used for the rapist is “After all he is a man, he has desires”.

Consent plays a key role in most of the sexual assault cases; as it impacts the entire prosecution process. Consent can be determined by various factors: Age of consent (the victim consenting was below the age specified by law for having sex), Inability to consent (if the victim consenting was insane, mentally retarded, intoxicated), withdrawal of consent; (if the victim gave consent out to fear, embarrassment, coercion, helplessness and later withdrew) the violation of these can attract the offence of statutory rape. In simple sense, sex without ‘consent’ is Rape.

As a feminist I intend to ask a question to the society, - The rape victim is blamed for her rape, for the injuries inflicted on her body and her mind; despite her constant refusal to entertain the advances of a man. So, what should be the punishment for the rapist who so "innocently" rapes a woman, thrashes her self- esteem, insults the essence of womanhood thereby uprooting her existence and destroying her life; against her will and consent?

                        

'Feminism Today: Women's Safety in a Male-Dominated Society and How Men Can Help' by Bradley University blogger Ashley

More young women today are calling themselves feminists than in the past, and the definition of a feminist has changed as well. What has brought about this resurgence in feminism? What influenced these young women (and men) to join the movement now? Some would attribute this to the creation of the website Jezebel.com by writer Anna Holmes (read Glamour article here http://www.glamour.com/inspired/2013/09/the-new-do-calling-yourself-a-feminist). Some would give credit to more female celebrities talking about feminism and the need for it, but others might call this a sort of “bandwagon” effect. No matter who or what influenced people, we have more feminists today than before, which is truly awesome. There lies an issue before us, though- can women feel safe in a patriarchal society? And how can men help create more equality in society themselves?

Patriarchy rules our society to the point that some women even support it fully- women being the primary caretakers of children, staying at home to cook and clean, not holding positions of power, not deserving of equal pay or treatment, being weak and submissive, and other mostly demeaning characteristics applied to us. For those of us tired of being demeaned and pretty much forced into submission, we speak up and fight back. Fighting back can be dangerous in the society we live in- how dare we challenge authority? Clearly we deserve the hits that are thrown at us as a result of challenging a man, right? Wrong, wrong, wrong. There will always be men and women trying to “put us in our place”, but we have to be strong enough to say “no”. If every woman just sat silently while she was reduced to a role that fit the patriarchal society, then there would be no feminism, there would be no need to challenge authority because rules would be accepted blindly. Now, is there anything wrong with fitting into the typical female roles of the patriarchal society? No, but only if the woman consciously makes this decision on her own and actually desires to serve that role. For example, when a woman says that she stays at home with the kids because that’s what she should or is supposed to do, then I’d be curious as to why it is a should and not a desire.

So at this point in time, can women feel truly safe in a patriarchal society? No, not yet. Hopefully with the help of men, women can feel safer and more equal. So how can men help? Opening up more opportunities to women that have mostly been held by men, realize when they are making comments that are sexist or demeaning, and defending women in situations where they may not even be present (e.g., calling out a friend who calls women offensive things). Those are just a few suggestions on how a male can make a difference. It’s not about simply being a “feminist” while women are around. It’s about standing up for not only women’s rights but human rights 24/7. Educate yourselves and stand up for human rights!

Can women progress in a male dominated society? by blogger Shaleen

The belief that women are living creatures, who are able to make rational decisions on their own baffle so many people, so one can assume women are viewed as the lesser human. New feminism is a new concept that many people don’t understand because many believe the definition of feminism is the superiority of females over males. Before this philosophy can be known for what it actually is, people need to understand that not every feminist hates men. It supports the idea that men, and women are indeed different but both sexes deserve equal worth and dignity.  Even though women are living in a so called “man’s world,” we have made a lot of progress since the start of the feminist movement. Equality between the genders is a difficult thing to accomplish with so many different viewpoints and cultures around the world.  

            

Unless life was started over again, there is no way women will ever feel safe in a male dominated society. There are set stereotypes that women have, as there is for men, and women will always be seen like the lesser of the two because of that stereotype, as much as it saddens me to say. Many people grew up learning that tradition is the route to live by, which the new feminism points out saying its fine to stick with the stereotypical roles for both men and women. The difference between the two is the treatment of one another. The traditional role of a women would be one where she submits herself to her husband, while staying at home and being the the homemaker or caregiver of the family. New feminism wants a woman to feel comfortable being about to be a woman who stays at home with the children or the woman who goes out into the workforce.

    

We can all join together and fight the inequality in many ways. We just have to be willing to stand up for what we think is right and how we think others should be treated. Both men and women have opinions and voices to speak them with. No gender is lesser than the other because of a tradition that is no longer being used in other aspects.

I was, I’m and shall continue to be – 'A woman of Substance' - by Blogger Snehal

A Sanskrit (a prominent, ancient language) verse states – “Yatra naryastu Pujyante ramante tatra devatah yatraitaastu na pujyante sarvaastrafalaah kriyaah” :- Divinity rejoices where women are honoured and respected; where they are not, even sacred acts are fruitless. This verse gives us a glimpse of the social stature of women in the ancient time that boasts of social equality.

 Myriad significant changes suppressed the status of women across the globe over the centuries. There was an emergence of patriarchal structure of the society that perpetuated oppression of women, mainly through sexual violence. “Masculinity” was defined through power, violence, aggression and dominance whereas “Imposed Femininity” was defined as weak, inferior, powerless, oppressed, exploited sex who had no choice but to surrender as a victim or a prey to these male predators. The tyranny continued in the form of rape, sexual assault, violence, oppression, fear of death, apprehension of grievous hurt that pushed womanhood into the dark, unbearable abyss of humiliation and self pity for centuries to come.

An honest, deep introspection then led women to stand up for their right, their right to live with dignity, right to breathe freely. A flash! Then was an emergence of a feminist era that not only revolutionized but refined the status of women. Women now can walk shoulder to shoulder with men and voice their choices too. Feminism is a strength that changed the face of victims into survivors and opened the doors of competitive world for them. Today, women are not mere sex objects; women are a symbol of power, equality, strength and much more. All that a woman needs is to be loved, to be heard and to be respected. Simple!

The question that arises is, are women really safe in this male dominated world? The answer is yes, provided men use their strength for creating cultures free of violence and have a positive influence on womanhood.

It is always said that the apprehension of rape limits the potential of a woman. I believe that encouragement coupled with support and love can help them expand the boundaries of their potential and proudly say “I’m worth it”.  

Too Many Expectations by blogger Kendra

Jay-Z is not the only one with 99 problems. Women have to deal with a number of things like their jobs, families, and household chores, and it does not stop there, nor does it begin there. From an early age girls are told they have to look, think, and behave a certain way in order to gain respectability from society and to appease boys. There is an unfair advantage that comes with being a man, and that's that the expectations for them are significantly lower than women.


Many of today's feminists say there are just too many expectations for women and they are working together to close the gap. When walking down the street minding their own business, women are expected to be flattered and grateful for the men shouting sexual puns at them; women are expected to wear clothes that are sexy, but not too sexy because when they do “they're asking for it”; women are also expected to be independent but not too independent, and submissive but not too passive. Women often find themselves asking, “What is it exactly that you want from me?”


There are some expectations that are unavoidable which are determined by where you work and/or go to school, but most of them can be stopped. Men will have to get on board and get involved in making changes to how women are viewed and treated. This is a progression that many feminists are hoping to move towards as soon as possible.

Reducing Sexual Assault on Campus by blogger Kendra

Hormones run rampant among college campuses with incoming freshmen ready to enjoy the college scene which, along with actual classwork, consist of drinking, partying, and sex. Unfortunately, many students partake in this so called scene incorrectly. Some students consider this more of a free-for-all four year journey all the while insisting this is just part of the college experience.





Sexual violence is a touchy subject that most college campuses put little emphasis on. It is something that often gets put on the back-burner until it is too late.


Statistics

show that one in four college women have either been the victim of rape or an attempted rape.







Luckily there is so much that can be done by school officials to ensure their students do not become another statistic. A colleges theater group could put on a play about sexual assault on college campuses and how to stay safe. Or perhaps there could be a week long 'Assault Prevention' week complete with self-defense training lessons one day and a speaker the next.





Also, although campuses have phones set up for students to report a crime, what are the chances of a student being near one of the phones during the time of an emergency? Nearly every college student has access to a mobile device. Colleges could create a texting service that will allow students to text a certain number or letter to campus security for help.

Senior Year and Mentorship Begins- by blogger Ashley from Bradley University

Last August, I wrote about freshmen coming to campus and essentially being naïve to the true happenings of the college nightlife. Now as a senior, it is (or should be) my duty to guide freshmen in the right direction when I can. I joined a new multicultural peer mentor program on campus and will have two mentees to personally guide this year. The start of this program will be great for the campus, especially for minority students since many of us have trouble “fitting in” our first semester of college.


Since this program didn’t exist my freshmen year, I didn’t have someone to show me how to get around campus or where to find certain resources. I didn’t have someone to show me all of the various activities the school has to offer. I wasn’t into the whole frat party scene, so I felt out of place and bored often on campus. No one was there to tell me that the older guy who seemed so into me was clearly out to use me. By default, most upperclassmen just roll their eyes at “those silly/stupid freshmen” rather than helping them out.


As upperclassmen, we know the DOs and DON’Ts of the social scene in college, but we can’t hold freshmen to that same standard. Freshmen are bombarded with so much information, including how to protect oneself from being a victim of sexual assault (a method that has many flaws, but that’s for another discussion), so the majority of that info is not necessarily retained or used in every situation a freshmen encounters. College is overwhelming at the start, and it pretty much takes the entire first year to adjust to being on our own and having this much freedom.


If you’re an upperclassmen, think about helping out the freshmen you see in compromising positions that they may not know how to get out of. Just as you may hear or read a sign on public transit- if you see something, say something. I know we live in a generation that is supposedly very self-centered, but we can break that stereotype by helping someone younger and more naïve than us. Everyone could use a mentor in life, so why can’t that person be you? Spread your knowledge with others to help keep them safe. It’ll make the college experience much better for everyone.

Freshmen college safety- A scavenger hunt by blogger Denelle

Every fall thousands of fresh faced kids flock the college campuses throughout our country. Wide eyed and eager for new friends, new experiences and an education worth their weight in debt, college freshmen face a particular challenge when it comes to safety. With all their nervousness and insecurity, students may not feel comfortable traveling in packs if they don’t know other coeds just yet. And lack of familiarity around the campus means they don’t know which areas to avoid after dark.





So how do you get new female students familiar with the campus and aware of their surroundings without needlessly frightening them? A scavenger hunt!





Break new students into small groups that will form a competitive team, and guided by a chaperon (senior student, faculty, etc) these teams will go through the campus looking for treasure. All of the “clue” points should be areas of the campus that are most susceptible to danger or have been trouble areas in the past. At these check points, groups receive clues for the next check point as well as prizes, such as a whistle on a necklace, a key chain flashlight, or a football noise maker. A map of the school that indicates safe spots and a listing of emergency contacts in the area are musts as well. By the end of the hunt, girls are more familiar with the areas they should avoid when alone, have made some new friends, and have been supplied with some emergency aid should they require it.

A Whole New World by Blogger Alex

Do you even stop to read sexual violence articles anymore? I see them all of the time, and I just laugh and think to myself “another one of these – how are people so terrible? I would never think of doing something like this!” These articles may be ineffective to me, but that is only because I’ve hit a maturity level where I know the difference between right and wrong when it comes to sexual activity. I learned a lot to get to this point of sexual maturity, and it is obvious that many others have a lot of work to do if we want sexual violence to stop.


It’s easy to forget how hard it was making the adjustment from high school to college. Some of us go to college and are in a whole new world with more freedom than we’ve ever had before. Some of us don’t leave for college and feel very discouraged and angry. Either way, our lives change from being on a set high school schedule to making decisions on our own. Peer pressure is at an all-time high at this stage of our life - we are presented with new scenarios where there are opportunities to learn about drugs, alcohol and sex and don’t know what decisions are the right ones to make. These years of our lives are about learning from our bad decisions, but sometimes these decisions are more wrong than any of us could’ve ever imagined.


I’ve been in situations where I could have said “yes” to an urge instead of “no” and my life could’ve been completely altered if I made the wrong decision. How are teens supposed to know what the right decision is? I think adults forget how hard it was to grow up. We need to start offering teens more guidance or they will continue to make the wrong decisions.


We all have our sexual urges – and who knows what will happen when these urges are combined with an immature mind and a bad day… In a whole new world teens need more teachers so that they are set up for success. Parents need to be more aware of their children’s thought during this tough time in their life. College need to begin teaching mandatory classes that show the student what choices to make in common teen situations. High school health classes need to talk about this as they teach students about Sexually Transmitted Diseases. It’s up to us to make the young understand – so what are you going to do to help?

Sexual Assault Prevention in Universities by Blogger Shaleen

In universities, there should be required seminars to get the students communicating especially those that have fraternities and sororities. College students are very susceptible to peer pressure because we are at an age where we want to be accepted by our peers. College is typically viewed as a place to find yourself and experiment with a different surrounding that one wouldn’t typically be used to. Sexual violence can be prevented so that everyone can thrive rather than just survive.


The seminars should include men and women of every age range, so that the freshman attending are conscious that sexual violence happens to everyone, not just women of a certain type, like typically assumed. Attacking the silence is part of the shocking nature of the survival stories of these speakers and it would be very interesting to also hear from the attendees. Communication is a big part of life and it would be unacceptable to allow these college students to only be able to hear the experiences of strangers. There should also be a section of the seminar where they can ask questions and state their opinions rather than just listen to the speakers.


Personally speaking, I would want to be educated with something that impacts me rather than just informs me of the surrounding dangers. Students should know that they are in a safe surrounding instead of being scared to walk around alone. According to the RAIIN organization, (2013), 2/3 of assaults are committed by friends or acquaintances.


RAIIN (2013) Statistics. Retrieved from


https://www.rainn.org/statistics

Temples of learning and Teachers of Individualistic identity- by blogger Snehal

Holy books across the globe preach ‘Humanity’ being the greatest religion. Today, “We” the so called humans have buried these ethics under the veil of social, political and cultural acceptance. Why should one victimize the weaker strata of the society? This comparison and ignorance of equality has given rise to several heinous offences contributing to sexual violence. It’s time to introspect and bring in the positive changes. The best places to start with are the schools (our temples of learning).


Education is the best weapon to fight injustice and inequality. Therefore, every school should focus on empowering its students with this gift of knowledge in the following ways.






Every academic term should have a 2 day workshop; to address the issue of sexual violence to the students. These workshops shall include plays, games, songs, painting activities that can highlight this issue in a subtle manner.


Yoga and spiritual learning must be enshrined in the curriculum. This aids in imbibing good moral values and provides a positive healing to each soul.


The school should have stringent rules pertaining to victimization, bullying, ragging, sexual abuse and offences of the like kinds. Spy cameras can be fixed in the classrooms, corridor, playgrounds, washrooms and campus to ensure the student safety. These cameras must be monitored by the student counsellor, so appointed for helping the students.


A monthly student counselling session must focus on various ideas of teaching them the difference between a good/bad touch.


The curriculum should also include learning of self defense techniques and martial arts to protect themselves against any mishap.


The school should believe that “Every child is special”. Teachers have to be more vigilant in the classroom and ensure safety of all the students especially the fresher men.






Hope this small step can be a giant leap in bringing about the positive changes in the schools and then in the society.

Does the Death Sentence Truly Help the Survivor? by Blogger Ashley from Bradley University

Ariel Castro, the monster from Ohio who kidnapped and held three young women for 10 years, agreed to a plea deal the other day. He accepted a deal where if he plead guilty, he would serve life in prison with no chance of parole nor the death penalty. Considering the years of abuse and pretty much torture that these young women suffered, many people wish the death sentence was still on the table for him. This man has nearly 1,000 charges against him, including the possibility that he terminated the pregnancy of one of the young women (which would be counted as aggravated murder), so the death penalty seems acceptable in his case, but would that actually help the survivors of his abuse?


My mother and I were having this discussion, and we found ourselves at opposite ends of the spectrum of views on the death penalty. My mother believes that Castro should be sentenced to death for his actions, as he legally qualifies for the death penalty, and never be allowed to hurt anyone ever again. I, on the other hand, felt that killing him would not really solve anything- it’s an easy way out for him. He made these women suffer for so long, so he should be imprisoned just as he imprisoned them. But my mother does bring up a good point- why should taxpayers have their tax dollars go towards feeding and housing such a horrible criminal for the rest of his life? It’s not fair to us to have our money support a person we would not allow to step foot on our property. But this is the issue with the prison system as a whole and not simply in cases of rapists and murderers.


So should this rapist and kidnapper, and others like him, be given the death sentence (if it were still available to him)? Or should he “rot” in prison for the rest of his life?

Responsibility on Preventing Sexual Assault by volunteer Cassandra!

It is everyone’s responsibility to help prevent sexual violence on colleges’ campuses everywhere. If you just take a second to read some of the statistics and think about the amount of people, friends, family, fellow students, you know that are in college, maybe even including yourself, it hits you and you realize the amount of people that are or could possibly be affected by such a horrific crime. We need to help spread the awareness, let the truth come out, and help the victims find their voice to speak out against their attackers and find help, support, and reach out to the police and report their attacks to prevent their attackers from striking again.

Staying Safe Abroad by Bradley University blogger Ashley

Recently, a few friends of mine traveled to Dublin, Ireland for two weeks as part of our university’s study abroad program. I had the opportunity to ask one of my friends three questions about safety abroad. I paraphrased most of her response, but some sentences are direct quotes:


How safe did you feel? More safe than Peoria. There were times when I walked back alone. I think it’s because we were in a very tourist area. Also, it would still be bright outside at like 9, 10 o’clock, and plenty of people were still on the streets. I was never really on the street by myself. I feel like the culture there, crime-wise, are mainly people getting mugged more than sexual crimes, but I really don’t know. I’m not sure of the statistics.


How worried were you about yourself or friends meeting people in Dublin? People were really social, so meeting them was really fine. Most of the people we met were tourists. But I felt cautious because I know people knew that we were tourists, so they could take advantage of us if they wanted to. They know we’re trying to have fun abroad, so we might try to do things that we wouldn’t normally do back home, so it’s different.


Is there any advice you would give anyone traveling abroad (with a group for school or alone/with friends)? Realize that you’re naïve to the culture and the norms. Just because it might be a European culture similar to ours, doesn’t mean that it’ll be the same. People will know that you’re a tourist, based on how you talk and whatnot. Don’t go crazy, especially when drinking, just because you can’t really do that back here (since the drinking age is 18). You’re more naïve than you think you are. I’d say always use the buddy system, even though I did walk alone to places close by where we were staying, just because you never know.


………


According to the U.S. Department of State’s website on travel (


http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1145.html#crime

), “Ireland has a relatively low rate of violent crime. Petty crime and residential crime is much more common, especially in urban and tourist areas.” This reflects exactly what my friend said, but we also have to keep that Dublin has the highest crime rate of the country and is the most popular tourist area.




Whether you’re traveling to Ireland, England, China, Brazil, or anywhere abroad, the rule of thumb is to be aware of your surroundings, do your research on cultural norms, travel with a friend (or even a small group) if possible, and don’t get too carried away with the freedom and let down your guard.

A donde se fue el sentido humanitario? by Harold Washington blogger Juan

Hace unos días estuve en el autobús de camino a mi trabajo, y como de costumbre, esoty sentado, cabeza abajo, ojos en la pantalla de mi celular, tratando de encotrar algún articulo que vaya a entretenerme por el tiempo que pasaría en aquel autobús.Poco sabía yo que en unos 2 minutos desde ese momento mi búsqueda me iba a llevar de una sensación de paz, a una furia interna. Me topé con un artículo en la cual se me hizo difícil pasar. Este artículo es sobre una mujer en los Emiratos Árabes Unidos, qun país situado al sureste de la península arábiga en el Golfo Pérsico, que fue drogada y violada por varios hombres. Se encontró en una habitación que nunca había estado antes y no podía recordar el viaje que la llevó a ese lugar. Entonces procedió a hacer lo que cualquier persona haría en una situación similar. Acudió a las autoridades a denunciar a estos hombres y poder encontrar justicia y paz en el medio de la tempestad en la cual vivía en ese momento. Resulta que los funcionarios de los Emiratos Árabes Unidos tienen una creencia profunda que prohíbe a dos personas, legalmente, en tener relaciones sexuales fuera del matrimonio, y cualquier persona que no cumpla con la ley, pues el acto se categoriza como un crimen. No sólo los funcionarios descaradamente ignoraron el hecho de que fue violada, pero también le hicieron firmar unos papeles, escritos en árabe, los cuales afirmaban que ella supo lo que estaba haciendo, y el hecho de que no se acordaba tuvo que ver con la cantidad de alcohol que ella decidió tomar esa noche. Así pues pasó ocho meses en prisión.

Cuando yo reflexiono sobre la falta de compasión humanitaria que algunos países y culturas tienen, frustración asume el control de mi ser. Es como si mi mente no puede creer la ignorancia que existe en la creencia en la superioridad de género. ¿Por qué los hombres tienen que mantener constantemente un estado de poder sobre las mujeres? ¿Por qué las mujeres tienen que servir, contribuir, y dar constantemente a sus maridos, pero no pueden nunca exigir nada, o trabajar ciertas profesiones, o reclamar y obtener un sueldo justo de la misma manera hombres obtienen. Pero algunos países ejecutan y se basan en ideales que vienen de puro odio, ira, egoísmo y poder sobre todo. Y este es un tema que sólo podemos esperar confiados en algún cambio. Honestamente, la única solución que se me ocurre es criar una generación de hombres que piensen diferente; hombres que honestamente crean que las mujeres deben ser tratadas con respeto e importancia. Y quiero terminar este blog diciendo, que es bien importante ser amables con todas las personas que nos rodean; tratar a todos la misma forma que a le gustaría ser tratado. Yo podría animar a los hombres a centrarse sólo en el tratamiento de las mujeres, pero se trata de cómo tratar y ver a todos a tu alrededor. Se trata de un cambio de mentalidad en que uno quiera hacer cosas buenas, ser bueno para otros y aprender a tener un sentido de humanidad. 

Where did the humanitarian principles go? by Harold Washington College blogger Juan

A few days ago I was on the bus on my way to work and as usual, I am scrolling down some website on my iPhone trying to find something to read that will take my mind off my surrounding reality and place it somewhere interesting. Little did I know that in about 2 minutes from that moment my quest on finding the highly craved, interesting article was going to backfire on me. I stumbled upon an article that made it difficult for me to pass. This article was about a woman in the United Arabs Emirates, which is a country located southeast of the Arabian Peninsula on the Persian Gulf, who was drugged and raped by several men. She found herself in a room she had never been before and could not recall the journey that led her to that place.And so she did what anyone in her position would have had done.

She went to the authorities to report it and find justice for her tragedy. Turns out that the officials of the United Arab Emirates have a profound belief that in order for two people to be allowed sexual intimacy, they have to be married first, and in the instance that intimacy does occur outside marriage, well then that is considered a crime. Not only did the officials blatantly ignored the fact that she was raped, but they tricked and made her sign some papers she could not read since it was written in Arabic. She later found out she had just signed a document stating she had sex outside of marriage and it was due to her choice of drinking alcohol. So she spent 8 months in prison.

When I ponder upon the lack of humanitarian views some countries and cultures hold, frustration takes over. It’s like my mind cannot believe the ignorance that exists in believing in gender superiority. Why men have to constantly maintain a status of power over women. Why women have to serve and contribute and give constantly to their husbands but they can’t ever demand anything, or work in certain fields, or get paid unfairly and differently than men. But some countries run and are based on ideals that are founded on hatred, anger, selfishness, and power-over-everything. And this is an issue which we can only hope to be fixed sometime soon. Honestly, the only solution I can think of is to raise a generation of men who think differently; men who believe women are to be treated of equal respect and not used to an advantage. And so I want to end this blog by saying, be kind to everyone you see, treat everyone the same way you would like to be treated. I could encourage men to focus only on treating women better and with compassion, but it comes down to how you treat and view everyone around you. It’s about a change of mentality that will allow one to want to do good things, be good to others, and learn to have a sense of humanity.

Freedom by Blogger Eleanor from the Dominican Republic

Walking down a street or into the grocery store: two every day freedoms I have come to be more thankful for. Two examples of simple things that we as humans take for guaranteed daily. Why? The best answer is why not? It’s just walking down the street right? How powerless and vulnerable could one feel on an ordinary walk? Reality is that although many overlook such important questions, there are individuals all over the world who are stripped of freedoms and liberties, such as walking down the street. It has taken me twenty+ years to experience this feeling, a feeling that I would do anything to change.

Welcome to the Dominican Republic, a beautiful, magical, and breathtaking island, located in the heart of the Caribbean. Turquoise blue water, luxury resorts, and non-stop sunshine surround lucky tourists, who spend between $700-6,000 dollars to visit. What could be better? Little do they know, the Dominican Republic is country that faces everyday challenges of poverty, lack of education, unclean drinking water, a corrupt government, and an extreme machismoculture. After living in the Dominican Republic for the past ten months, I have become uncomfortably familiar with machismo culture to the point where it has become internalized.

What does this mean? It means that while my fellow Americans walk down the street independently, shop in the grocery stores, and spend time with their significant others without being bothered, I am mentally preparing just to leave my apartment. As soon as I leave the house, I can feel their stares. It’s like I’ve just walked into the lions den and I’m on the breakfast menu. They are not staring because I am American, but because I am a woman. Just waiting for the moment where I drop to my knees and fall madly, deeply, and hard in love with them. My sole purpose in life is to successfully fulfill men’s desire, lust, and needs. I’m a walking toy. When living in a small town in New Hampshire, I could walk down the street independently or in the grocery store without being eye fucked,cat called, or spoken to as if I was a product of men’s desire.

As a woman, walking alone is the last thing I want to do in the Dominican Republic. Everyday on my walk to work, I do not feel the sun as it beats down on my skin, leaving sweat all over my forehead. But I do feel their eyes. I feel the intense, slow, and sanctioned, examination of my body. Every curve and feature, inspected as if they have never seen a woman’s body before and all of the sudden craving it. I can compare the feeling to when I was an intern in a corrections facility. Anytime I would walk into the males unit, 100+ eyes would turn on me, as my body became the focus of the room. They do not just inspect my body, but any woman: white, black, Hispanic, or Asian, to them it does not matter. We are all the servants of men’s desire.

When does walking down the street or shopping in the grocery store become an everyday freedom? A freedom in which,women are able to live life without being seen as a walking sexual invitation? It is a great question and the possible solutions are what society labels “complex.” However, what I believe is that until men stop watching porn, sexually assaulting, raping, attending strip clubs, and engaging in prostitution,the simple freedoms of walking down the street, shopping in the grocery store, and living life without being classified as only serving a sexual purpose, will not go away. Some say that it takes a village to raise a child.Well in this case, it takes each and every one of us to change the negative and unfair views, expectations, and demands we hold on women and their bodies. As citizens of the world our focus should be providing and giving back freedoms to anyone who has felt deprived, vulnerable, and underprivileged.

Choosing Causes? How to take action in college? by Bradley University blogger Ashley

Being in college, we are bombarded with a plethora of options of campus organizations to get involved with. At the beginning of the year, you sign up to various emailing lists and attend a few meetings and events here and there, but actually choosing a few organizations to dedicate part of your free time to can be difficult. I have seen this firsthand as Vice President of an organization, and as a result I have slowly stopped going to meetings for some organizations, but that does not mean that I no longer support their missions. I believe this is also true when it comes to supporting various causes in general for people from my generation.

Looking back in the past, my main focus was raising awareness about mental illness in my community, and it still is. Now, I have grown to feel more passionate about other issues such as sexual assault, wrongful imprisonment, gender inequality, and poverty to name a few. Sometimes, I feel the pressure to be more of an activist for one cause over another, but I realize that this is impossible for me and that I should not have to choose anyway. The reason I can easily support multiple causes is because I see the risks that each have on someone’s mental well-being. Surviving a sexual assault can leave a person with not only physical but emotional/psychological scars as well; serving a prison sentence of 30 years for a crime you did not commit is mentally taxing; living below the poverty line or constantly being surrounded by people who belong to the upper class can affect someone’s self-esteem and cause them to be more self-conscious.

I bring this up because I see the growing support of my fellow colleagues in fighting sexual violence in this country. This is a great thing. It lets me know that even my “apathetic” campus can get behind some cause. Now, we have to take this support a step further. What can we do on campus to raise more awareness about these issues? How can we keep this as a top priority in our lives besides academia? Many people are vocal about their disapproval of sexual violence, but only few will actually take action. One of the sororities on my campus has fundraisers to directly support the Center For Prevention of Abuse, but only a few of those girls will go on to volunteer at the Center and have a more direct impact on supporting the fight against abuse. What can we do to get more people to volunteer at centers like this or to spread the word among friends?

I’ve been writing for Leila Grace for a year now, and my passion for this cause has grown even stronger. I write this blog to challenge all of you readers to think about what we and all of our friends and family can do to make a difference. As the great saying goes, “Be the change you wish to see in the world”.

Sympathy for the Perpetrators? by blogger Ashley from Bradley University

As many of you may know, the rape case in Steubenville, OH has garnered a lot of attention over the past few months. The other day, two high school football players were found guilty of raping a 16-year-old girl. While everyone in general was outraged by this incident, even more outrage has risen over the sympathy and “victimization” of the rapists by media outlets. Now media outlets are all “those poor young men’s lives are changed forever” and similar phrases. Let’s talk about the real victim, let’s talk about how her life is changed forever by this entire thing- from what happened at that party that night in August to the trial to the judge’s sentencing to the recent threats she’s received after the boys received their verdict. As usual, the media gives more focus to the perpetrators of crimes rather than the victims and what they experienced.

 If the two boys involved in this case weren’t high schoolers (or even college students for that matter), people may not be as sympathetic towards them. They’re also athletes without criminal records, but they may not have a criminal record because they’re privileged in their small town. In America, we put a lot of pride into our sports, and sports teams continually receive special treatment that other students do not receive (e.g., missing class for games). It is continually frustrating to hear how coaches, parents, and other authority figures protect their athletes over what is right. The 16-year-old girl who had to go through all of this humiliation and pain was raped, and there were many witnesses to what was happening that night. When someone is under the influence, especially if they are drunk, they cannot consent to any sexual activity. It was clear that this girl was intoxicated that night, and she was taken advantage of very greatly. It is unfortunate that none of the witnesses tried to help her, that they were all too intoxicated to realize that something was very wrong with the sight before their eyes or their inner morals were just nonexistent.

So what are we left to do? We continue the good fight for the rights and protection of victims. We continue to fight for better education and preventative measures that try to teach people not to act on their evil intentions more than teaching potential victims how to protect themselves. It’s good to teach people how to protect themselves, but that shouldn’t be the only form of “preventative measures”. We should not have to live in fear as we walk through life.

The Unappreciated by Harold Washington College Blogger Juan

And days go by so I worry. I worry that her days are bitter and full of torment. The way our interaction began still thrills me. My family knew about her yet I have not spoken to her in years. Since her mother was always close to my family I knew of her since the early times of my life. She could have been considered a model yet pursuing that kind of lifestyle was not within her. We began to talk back in those January days; those kind of days the cold makes you wish were already gone. She had filled a hole that was still fresh and recent yet she did not know any of this.  For her part, the feeling of excitement and thrill  that came over  as we spoke made her feel guilty. In the day we spoke time froze and we laughed and felt feelings of joy and satisfaction. She knew I knew of her unfortunate circumstances. Not being appreciated was something she was used to. But still, she had that magic to her. The kind of essence that would make a well-centered man fly 2000 miles only to hear her speak personally.  But her man didn't appreciate her one bit. Perhaps it's the fact he has taken care of her emotional state since dealing with a personal situation that stayed with her even when the giver has been long gone, and now she cant do much but remember him bitterly as the burning sensations come and go randomly. I know dudes.

Dudes that take care of their girlfriends and believe they have a certain power over the lives of their loved ones. Dudes that give up on them because the feeling that made him interested in her is no longer present. But she's still a human with feelings not a mere object for use. And I just sit here. 800 miles away. Thinking about her unfortunate situation and reminiscing on the fact that maybe I was that dude at some point in my life. Maybe I unappreciated the lives of those who were willing to give it all for me. And I feel bad and experience one of those "I wish I had a time machine" moments. I crave wholeheartedly for their forgiveness as no woman deserves to be treated any less than how a queen is treated daily until the day she passes the crown and lays permanently.

Tunnel of Oppression by Bradley University from blogger Ashley

On Wednesday, my school put on their Tunnel of Oppression. I’m not sure if every college does it, but it’s very informative and a good experience for every college student. Basically, the Tunnel of Oppression features various forms of oppression experienced by millions and billions of people in the world (if not everyone at some point in their life). My school featured the Holocaust, racism, Native American oppression, homophobia, domestic abuse, sexual assault/rape, human trafficking, mental illness, disability oppression, eating disorder and image oppression, slavery, and immigrant oppression. Around each corner of the large room was a different “tunnel”, in a sense.

You walk through the Tunnel with a guide who leads you and a group of 10-15 people through the entire experience, giving you facts now and then (in addition to the facts written on the walls). I didn’t know anyone in my group because I signed up to go alone and didn’t know exactly what to expect. After walking through the Tunnel, there was discussion time within the group, facilitated by two faculty/staff members of the university. It was great to hear how the Tunnel really affected people and changed the way they think about others. Many people said they were shocked mostly by the statistics of human trafficking and rape. A guy in my group even opened up about having a close friend who was raped in the fall, and you could just see and feel the pain and anger on his face. I think the fact that people were really struck by these issues shows that this is a growing problem that is affecting more people, and we need to start paying more attention to what’s going on in our communities, our nation. With more people speaking up about these issues, it’s becoming harder to ignore.

After this experience, I hope that this gives people the desire to speak up, to participate in more open discussions about these issues. Just because it may not have happened to you personally doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t care when it happens to another person. We should grow the courage to confront people when we witness/hear them doing or saying something wrong. We as people, especially young college students who are the leaders of tomorrow, need to facilitate justice for all and protect our fellow brothers and sisters in this world from all levels of wrongdoing.

Cornell University starts sexual assault awareness! by Ashley blogger

In the light of an increased number of sexual assaults last semester, Cornell University is revitalizing its approach to sexual awareness and support, launching a new sexual assault resource site and forming a sexual assault support group! Way to go, Cornell! (Include links to articles).

http://cornellsun.com/section/news/content/2013/02/12/cornell-forms-sexual-assault-support-group

http://cornellsun.com/section/news/content/2013/02/11/cornell-launches-sexual-assault-resource-site

One Billion Women by Blogger Lily

On February 14, 2013, women across the globe will be rising up to show that enough is enough. One of every three women on this planet will become a victim of rape or sexual violence in her lifetime. That is approximately one billion women across the world. One Billion Rising is inviting everyone to walk out, dance, rise up and demand change. There are a variety of events happening across the city of Chicago to show their support. Some universities like University of Illinois at Chicago and DePaul University will be hosting the Vagina Monologues at their campus. There is a dance rally at noon at the Daley Center with a daytime dance party at the River East Arts Center from 1-6PM. The dance rally is similar to a flash dance, where onlookers will hopefully feel inspired to learn more about the movement. Participants can learn the choreography from a Youtube video on the One Billion Rising website or RSVP to rehearsal sessions.

If you are interested in participating, please visit OneBillionRising.org for more information and to find the nearest event.

When It Hits Close- Bradley University Blogger Ashley

About two weeks ago, I received some bad news from my mother- my dad’s best friend’s daughter (I’ll just call her my “cousin” from here on out) was raped. Even worse, she was almost 1,000 miles away in New Orleans since that’s where she goes to school. My dad’s best friend got on the earliest flight possible to the Mardi Gras capital of the country the morning after (I’m still not too sure when my cousin told him that it happened). Upon first hearing the news, my father of course used this incident as a lesson, a lesson about going to parties with friends and the buddy system and such. The original account of the incident says that my cousin and her friend met two guys at a party and went back to their apartment after the party, but my cousin really didn’t want to go to the apartment but she also didn’t want to leave her friend (here’s the buddy system, or “no friend left behind” ordeal). The rest is history thereafter, or so I thought…

I was filled with anger and sadness when I first received the news, and I still feel the same way, possibly more angry. A few days ago, my mother called to inform me of an update on my cousin, since I had returned to school. The original story that my cousin told her family was not the truth. It turns out, she wasn’t at a party, she wasn’t with her friend (though she was scheduled to meet with a friend sometime later that day/night)- she met a guy on the internet and went to his place. My mother still does not understand the whole “online dating” thing, so she’s leery about it in general. After hearing that this was a guy she’d been talking to online, I understand why my cousin lied at first. There is still a stigma when it comes to online dating, so many people don’t want to admit when they’ve found someone special via the web. While I’m not completely sure, I think that may have been the first time my cousin ever met the guy in person. We could go on and say how it wasn’t a great idea for her to go to his place by herself and that they should’ve met in a more public place, he should’ve never did a thing to her. It’s so easy for our parents especially to start with the victim-shaming, but she didn’t ask for this to happen. How was she supposed to know what was going to happen? No one can predict these things.

I hope that justice is served and that this guy serves time behind bars. I hope that my cousin stays strong through all of this and knows that I am on her side.