Spring Break
Sexual assault survivors deserve to be heard
Rose Hansen
Issue date: 2/24/09 Section: Forum
In response to the paragraphs in last week's column regarding sexual assault statistics and rape, I received a disturbing e-mail from a student accusing me of portraying men who proceed to have sex without consent as evil - despite the column's lack of gender specificity. But it wasn't the grossly inaccurate finger-pointing that concerned me. His accusation stems from the devastatingly widespread belief that rape is usually the victim's fault.
The stigma following rape victims prevails, not just on American college campuses, but across the world. From last year's controversial article, "What campus rape crisis?" published by the Los Angeles Times, to barbaric traditions of stoning rape victims to death, the reinforcement of victim responsibility is tragically common.
According to a 2004 study done by the American Association of University Women, 20 to 25 percent of college women are raped during their college career - 65 percent of which are unreported. In 2003, one in every 10 rape victims was male, according to the Rape Abuse and Incest National Network.
These numbers are hotly debated. Some argue that the "rape epidemic" is the result of people refusing to take responsibility for their sexual actions. Others believe that the estimated under-reporting of rape is proof of its widespread, yet quiet existence.
But statistics aren't the problem. Disregard the politics surrounding rape discussions because they disrespect the importance of the core subject at hand. The reality is that even if only one rape occurs, it's one too many. It's not an "only" kind of ordeal.
What's troublesome about consensual sex and rape on college campuses is that students don't seem to understand, or believe, the difference.
Rape is sex without consent. It doesn't get any simpler than that. No one has the right to force their will upon another person. It doesn't matter if the victim is male or female, asleep, speechless, drunk, resistant, too scared to move or too ashamed to report it afterward. It is still rape.
The stigma following rape victims prevails, not just on American college campuses, but across the world. From last year's controversial article, "What campus rape crisis?" published by the Los Angeles Times, to barbaric traditions of stoning rape victims to death, the reinforcement of victim responsibility is tragically common.
According to a 2004 study done by the American Association of University Women, 20 to 25 percent of college women are raped during their college career - 65 percent of which are unreported. In 2003, one in every 10 rape victims was male, according to the Rape Abuse and Incest National Network.
These numbers are hotly debated. Some argue that the "rape epidemic" is the result of people refusing to take responsibility for their sexual actions. Others believe that the estimated under-reporting of rape is proof of its widespread, yet quiet existence.
But statistics aren't the problem. Disregard the politics surrounding rape discussions because they disrespect the importance of the core subject at hand. The reality is that even if only one rape occurs, it's one too many. It's not an "only" kind of ordeal.
What's troublesome about consensual sex and rape on college campuses is that students don't seem to understand, or believe, the difference.
Rape is sex without consent. It doesn't get any simpler than that. No one has the right to force their will upon another person. It doesn't matter if the victim is male or female, asleep, speechless, drunk, resistant, too scared to move or too ashamed to report it afterward. It is still rape.
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