Many fondly
remember the time they left home for college. That sweet taste of freedom
brewing. Sure, the mistakes were a necessary part of learning and the bad
decision to party all night was just part of the vibrant experience. Kudos to
the ones who passed on late night social endeavors for strong coffee and
dedicated hard work. For some, it took the entirety of college and hefty debt
to then realize what it was supposed to be about- education, personal progress,
their future. But media culture tells a very different story of what it’s about
because the flirty girl in a short skirt, binge drinking debauchery, and the
coming of age misconceptions are the true selling points of entertainment.
Media culture itself isn't all to blame for this campus vision; many parents
and other influential adults, and most youth, buy into the idea that college is
about that kind of experience. But does that portrayal genuinely set college-bound kids up for success? Unfortunately, this typical college story becomes
one of many contributing factors to sexual assault on campuses
nationwide. What if we flipped the script, creating a more intentional
story of learning and boundaries along with their newly granted freedom? What if hard-core studying, responsible
drinking and consensual sex were the new vision?
In 2001,
sexual assault was finally granted a dedicated month to raising awareness. And
during this time of teal ribbon wearing or catchy hashtags on social media,
it’s also about taking a proactive stance to everyone's right for safety.
Sounds like an obvious solution, but awareness months exist because a problem
still exists. However, there is good news amidst the complexity of sexual
assault. Anyone has the power to make a difference and it starts with you.
Here’s an example, with universities across the US dealing with sexual assault
issues, campaigns and other awareness programs have recently brought this
problem to the front line. Awareness of the issue has grown exponentially, and
many are fighting back. Even though sexual assault remains a problem, with time
and momentum awareness has the potential of turning into the fight that changed
it all!
So, where do you start, you ask? You can take a look at something
worth fighting for which is currently on the chopping block, Title IX.
Title IX,
which is more widely known to be a law protecting equal rights in school
athletics, requires every school receiving federal aid to take
concrete steps to deal with campus sexual assault. Sounds like a great idea, right? But there
is a long divided line between whether schools should be allowed to grant
punitive action towards a perpetrator of sexual assault versus handing the
problem over to law enforcement. Although there are a handful of other
arguments that play into Title IX’s hotly debated status, this one plays on
those who have never been a victim or know little about what it’s like to be
sexually assaulted. Confidentiality and choice are two crucial components to
this argument.
It’s not that Title IX discourages victims from reporting, nor
is it a replacement for reporting to law enforcement, but it allows the victim
to come forward and obtain the support necessary to continue their education.
Forcing a victim to report in order to receive support for the violation
perpetrated against them places them in a box of certain restraints that may
end in not reporting altogether. And, even worse, it could lead to yet another
victim of sexual assault going without support, services or help of any
kind. There are a multitude of reasons
why a victim doesn’t want to report: fear of skepticism, re-victimization, fear
of retaliation, going through the ordeal to have it not end in an arrest, perception
that law enforcement doesn't have a clear understanding of trauma, some states
not recognizing men as the victim or women as the perpetrator, and/or the
victim being part of the LGBTQ community. Until these reasons get addressed,
forcing a victim to report isn't going to be the answer.
Law
enforcement and college administration need to find the compromise. The
answer isn’t simple and both parties have a history of guilt in handling these
cases incorrectly. If you are in
college, have a child in college, ever went to college, live near a college,
care about college students or in general care about the well-being of others,
educate yourself on the intricacies and debates that lie in Title IX.
Think about what is best for a victim of
sexual assault, and specifically what would create the best possible
environment for a college student victimized by sexual assault to thrive on
campus.
You can
start there. And what’s next, you ask?
The simple task of getting media culture on-board with the new vision of campus
life. Okay, so it’s not that simple. But by individuals taking initiative to
recognize Sexual Assault Awareness Month, educate themselves on the incidence
of sexual violence, speak-up about the trauma of sexual violence and openly
voice that sexual assault should not and will not be tolerated or seen as a
normal part of culture, then change will happen. The more individuals, the greater the change,
so get on board with putting an end to sexual assault!
Contributed by Christina Vaughn
Violence prevention advocate and volunteer at Tahoe SAFE Alliance
