Student activism – an initiative for rape prevention by blogger Snehal

“Please don’t drink too much”, “Don’t wear a provocative dress”, “Don’t go alone at night “, “Carry a pepper spray”..............................are the ‘rape preventive advices’ given to young women on college campuses. Agreed, these advices are for good but the underlying question that pops up is why the need for such advices has come up? Women who don’t drink, who are always dressed in full clothing, who hang out with friends at night are also raped. I’m not saying that only women are raped. Even men are subjected to rape but the question still remains unanswered.  Why sexual assaults are so highly prevalent in the society out there?  Is there a conclusive concrete answer?

Campus rapes have also increased in the past decades. News flashes on television, internet and newspapers have seriously condemned the failure of several educational institutions and universities in handling the issues of sexual assaults on campus. Moreover, students should not stand such injustice any longer. It is the time for some real action. Students have to join hand with campus and community events that work for ending sexual violence. The success of such events is determined by the extent of participation and involvement of the students and the community.

There have been several incidents where the student activists groups have been successful in pressurizing the college administration in imposing strict policies and actions against sexual crimes and sexual offenders on campus. Each one of us has to understand that sexual violence is neither inherent nor inevitable. Never perceive rape to be an individual’s case. Today someone was a victim tomorrow it may be you, your friends or loved ones.  The inspiring change begins only when students come forward and connect the dots on campuses. This will surely emerge as an unprecedented wave of student activism on campus.

It has been noted that numerous educational institutions have reformed their judicial policies for handling rapes on campuses as a result of student activism. Student rallies, workshops for supporting the rape victims, activities demanding compliance of strict rules on campus have geared a lot of support over the recent years. Such initiatives will also help in emboldening the students to break their silence, come forward and share their respective stories or file their complaints. Remember, a healthy campus is one where students feel safe to live, breathe, move and study.

To conclude, I shall repeat the lyrics of Michael Jackson’s song: Heal the world, make it a better place, for you and for me and the entire human race.

Campus-wide Accountability for Prevention by Bradley University blogger Ashley

My university is known for being very apathetic- we pick and choose what we care about, but we mainly care about ourselves. People barely show support for our sports teams, no one really wants to attend philanthropic events that cost money (aka fundraisers) unless they’re being put on by one of their buddies in a Greek organization, an organization is lucky if even twenty people show up to their event (especially if it’s not music-related or counts towards extra credit in a class). On my campus, the Greek population makes up close to 40% of our student body (if not more), so they have a lot of power when it comes to reaching out to the student body as a whole. When it comes to sexual assault prevention, Greek life could be the main proponents in raising awareness about this critical issue. Most students listen to the Greeks, almost surprisingly.

Photo from Bradley University

A month or two ago, one of the fraternities on campus had a table stationed in our student center with a huge sheet of paper with many signatures. People who stopped by the table and wanted to stand against domestic abuse signed the sheet and received a white ribbon. I’m not sure if this is something that the fraternity always does, but I was happy to see them actually showing their support in ending domestic violence and helping victims and survivors. This was a step in the right direction for sure, but I’d love to see more fraternities and sororities alike taking a stand.

I’m not going to put all of the responsibility on Greek life to provide sexual assault prevention and awareness because that wouldn’t be fair. It is our duty as a campus community to look after one another and take a stand to injustice. No matter how “apathetic” we may seem as a whole, it still doesn’t make it an excuse to be stagnant or inactive, to turn a blind eye to instances of assault. The minute we say “was he or she drinking when it happened? What were they wearing? Were they being a tease?”, we are taking away that person’s voice.  We are already holding unfair judgments and placing blame on the victim.

Honestly, one of the first steps that should be taken is for administration to create a mandatory sexual assault prevention class. We make students sit through fire safety presentations and an alcohol safety presentation, but we only tie sexual assault to alcohol, as if it only occurs when both parties have had “too much to drink” and have cloudy judgment. There are still many ignorant and naïve students when they arrive on campus, and they hold many stereotypes as truth, which can hurt them greatly in the end, whether as a victim who doesn’t know their rights or that it’s not their fault or a perpetrator who thought the person wanted it even though they were drunk. Sexual assault prevention needs to become mandatory and less taboo. This issue is as important as teaching us how to control our intake of substances. Sexual assault is a life or death situation, just like drinking too much or ingesting too much of a drug- the effects can be very damaging, whether obvious or not. So stand up, protect one another, and hold each other accountable for our actions (or inactions).

Breaking the Silence: Combatting Sexual Assault in Greek Organizations by Katiera Sordjan

It is often said that people have great strength in numbers. Greek organizations are a crucial part of the college years for many students, and can be a major source of school tradition and pride. They have deep historical roots across the country. However, they also are the source of many controversies and issues on college campuses, mainly due to the sexual violence that surrounds Greek culture. Mixers and parties, usually supplied with alcohol, can be a dangerous breeding ground for sexual misconduct. Requiring new members to be subjected to sexual assault or forced to violate others can be common and unspoken parts of brotherhood and sisterhood. To prevent future incidents and help raise awareness in the school community, multiple groups must come together to ensure a safe social environment for students.

One person’s courage to speak out against the illicit activities of a frat or sorority could have very serious implications for the future of that group. It is in the best interest of these organizations to be aware of their presence on campus, and ensure the well-being of both their own members as well as guests of their houses and parties. Students who feel comfortable and at home in their fraternities or sororities will in turn continue to promote a lively social atmosphere that attracts new, like-minded students. In addition, college and universities must take an active, no-nonsense policy towards their Greek organizations. Students in fraternities and sororities are much more likely to be perpetrators or victims of sexual assault when compared with non-Greek students. Ignoring issues of this nature is at worst morally reprehensible and at best bad business.

To start, male fraternities should discontinue the policies of having female quotas when hosting events or parties. Requiring members to bring groups of women in, as well as discounting entry fees for female students, contributes to an unsafe environment where students can fall victim to sexual violence, particularly under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol. Any event suspected of having gender ratios should be shut down immediately. Fraternities in these scenarios can be guilty of pressuring members to target female guests, or supplying women with separate batches of alcohol, which may be prepared much stronger or spiked with other drugs. Combined with the hyper-masculine environment of some fraternities, female students can be easily preyed upon. 

Fraternities and sororities should eliminate any type of ritual or initiation that mandates sexual or physical violence. There are many ways to foster bonding and community, as well as have fun introducing new members to the group, besides fear, intimidation, and assault. The group attitudes arising from these Greek traditions can lead to homophobic and sexually violent tendencies. A Greek association that honestly believes they should torture their new members into the community is not one that students should want to be a part of. 

Co-ed fraternities can be a good place to start shifting Greek mindsets. Allowing women to be a part of my Pi Lambda Phi chapter at UPenn has allowed for a very peaceful coexistence of male and female students. Members are very active in groups that combat sexual assault on campus, and seek to make the fraternity house a safe space regardless of race, sexual orientation, gender, or background. Harassment during pledge and by party guests towards brothers or other visitors to the house is strictly prohibited. Anyone who feels uncomfortable is encouraged to talk to a male or female brother in the house who can address their concerns. Having spaces where men and women can socialize together may help to diffuse the sexually charged nature of same-sex frats and sororities. 

Other student groups can also play a big role in helping to change social and Greek life. LGBT+ and women’s groups on campus can continue to support students by giving space to the unique needs of students of varying gender identities and sexual orientations. Sexual assault prevention groups, such as the male group One In Four, could partner with fraternities and sororities to host honest, open dialogue about feeling safe while attending Greek parties or pledging. Alcohol and drug education is also very important here. Hearing a student's perspective and experiences would reach a much larger audience than standard school lectures, and help reduce the number of sexual crimes. Student groups must stress the importance of listening to one’s self. If a situation feels dangerous, threatening, or uncomfortable, a student should make every attempt to speak up or leave the event or activity, regardless of the perceived social repercussions. If a student is forced to continue doing anything they do not consent to, the matter should be reported to the proper student affairs faculty. Having student-run workshops and collaborative efforts between organizations will help people feel informed and comfortable regarding the Greek social scene. 

Colleges and universities must enact severe punitive measures and repercussions for Greek organizations that violate students’ health and safety. Going to college means largely being left to yourself and becoming an adult without the constant supervision of teachers and parents. However, schools cannot knowingly turn a blind eye to dangerous and even life-threatening activities happening on or around their campuses. Of course, all students want a place that allows them to socialize and party without the interference of administration. But faculty should be accessible for students who have concerns and inquiries about Greek life, and schools should move to make their organizations a little more transparent. Fraternities and sororities who violate any student should immediately be in danger of losing their chapter. Slaps on the wrist do not help in scenarios where students' lives are at risk. 

Every person coming of age wants to feel like they belong. Especially when attending a larger university or a school a good distance from home, students value having groups they genuinely feel a part of. Greek societies can help fulfill this need, but it should not be at the expense of a student's sexual and physical security. The common attitudes of Greek culture need to change. Brotherhood and sisterhood can still be an exciting and special part of college life without causing harm, and students should not have to suffer in silence because assault is perceived as normal. Sexual assault is never, under any circumstances, justifiable. When we think of how widespread hazing and borderline Stockholm syndrome is in these organizations, it is clear that these changes will not happen overnight. But taking a critical look at Greek life is a crucial part of combatting sexual assault in colleges. Students must learn to respect themselves and each other, and joining together, with the oversight of their schools, will help make socializing something to enjoy instead of fear. 

Students Should Speak Up by Benedictine University blogger Karly

It is a scary topic. Most people feel uncomfortable when it is brought up but the truth of the matter is it has to be talked about. College students rarely discuss the issue of sexual assaults on campuses. Being a college student myself, I will admit that it is a very difficult topic to grasp because the reality is that unfortunate incidents of sexual assaults do happen on college campuses. However, most of us do not realize that it is really up to us to make a difference to prevent assaults from happening in the future. Here are a few ways that college students can get involved to help prevent sexual assaults on campus.

Increase male participation- In my personal opinion I feel that more girls than guys at colleges are aware of the topic of sexual assaults and how to prevent them from happening. If more boys were aware of the outcomes that assaults cause on the victims I feel that they will hopefully get more involved and spread the word of awareness.

Don’t get involved with the wrong people- We can only do so much to try and prevent sexual assaults from happening at college, but unfortunately it still does happen so the most important thing to do is to be smart and don’t make bad choices or put yourself into sticky situations and hopefully this wil be the biggest aspect in preventing sexual assault.

Be more than a Bystander - Don’t be afraid to speak up. I know that it can be really hard if someone that you are close to or are friends with is a victim of sexual assault but in the long run it will benefit them if you SPEAK UP and tell someone that can do something about it so that it does not happen again.

If the unfortunate incident of a sexual assault occurs on a college campus students should make the victim feel comfortable, giving them a safe environment.  

Increasing Rape Awareness on College Campuses

            When I was a student on campus it seemed like the topic of rape was something that was rarely addressed.  Awareness events such as “Take Back the Night” and “The Vagina Monologues” were available to partake and participate in.  It seemed that formal addressing of rape culture happened at these events and sometimes were touch on in elective classes.  

In my own social circles the girls on my dorm floor promised to never leave a party without the girls we came with.  It certainly was not formal but it was our way of looking out for one another.  Are plan worked and we felt like we could trust each other.

Campuses across the nation may be looking at programs to educate all incoming freshmen on rape prevention.  While I do not think this is a bad idea, I feel as though students tend to become more engaged when they are approached by their peers.  I feel as if more student groups, fraternities, and sororities, on campus were to share the facts about rape on college campuses it may normalize the conversation.  This approach may reach more students than another mandatory lecture on what to avoid on campus.

 

Sometimes people including administrative heads want to turn a blind eye on what is actually happening on campus.  Even the average student may have a hard time talking about rape in a casual conversation.  An informed student may become one less rape survivor.  If the facts are available through peer to peer interaction you turn the topic into something that is no longer taboo.  Rape culture is not something that should be addressed a couple times a year, it should be something that we are talking and raising awareness about on college campuses and in society. 

What the heck is Teal Dot? by blogger Allisyn Ruttle from Pitzer College

As a consortium of 5 colleges, the Claremont Colleges is a fairly large community, with a large array of diverse clubs and student organizations. I am a member of a few of them, though I am not president of any. My roommate is, however, and she received an email saying that because she is a leader of an organization that she is required to go through Teal Dot training. We had no idea what that is and it has never had a presence on campus before. So, we looked it up on the Internet. We realized that this organization is only present at the Claremont Colleges. The description read:

Teal Dot is a bystander engagement program at the 5C's designed to reduce power-based personal violence, like sexual assault, partner violence, stalking,etc., in our community. We are making a difference, one teal dot at a time.

What this means is that every single person that is a registered leader of an on-campus club is required to forego this training, learning how to use their leadership to prevent power-based violence in all capacities in the context of their organizations. Before researching, I had never known that “power-based violence” was an existing concept, an all-encompassing term that, at the same time, does not over-generalize. As someone who has not yet received training, I don’t know what skills are included in teal dot training or how it is different from survivor support training. It seems to be a brand new presence on campus, and I am very much looking forward to it becoming more prominent and sought after. I hope to see organizations like this spreading to other college campuses across the nation. If every single student organization nationally had at least one person trained to spread awareness and prevent power-based violence, imagine the changes our generation could make.

For more information about Teal Dot’s presence on the Claremont Colleges’ campuses, visit https://pomona.collegiatelink.net/organization/tealdot