Judge Starr,
In the past week, you, our president, have sent multiple emails to the Baylor family regarding the rape and sexual assault allegations that are taking place on our campus. You said: “Sexual violence emphatically has no place whatsoever at Baylor University.” If that’s so, why have I, and so many wonderful girls and boys I know that go to this University, been faced with situations of sexual violence?
I fully understand that this (unfortunately) happens everywhere and at almost every campus nationwide. Furthermore, it is not easy for victims to come out and say what they have endured. I’m tired of hearing the voices of the people that don’t matter. I don’t want to hear how you plan on fixing it or what has been done to try to alleviate the problem. I want to hear stories of rapists being accused; I want to hear that things have been done.
I have a friend who won her case. Her rapist is no longer walking around campus. I'm sure there's more stories like this, but it's hard to see that when it's being overwhelmed by the stories without happier endings. The ones who tell the truth about their attack and don't win their case-- or get the chance to present it-- have to walk around campus and potentially face their abusers every day. How is that fair?
I’m not asking for anything major. At Baylor, we do have some great new policies that have been put in place to prevent and stop sexual assault on campus. I also fully understand that you are a human being, and I believe and trust that you are truly hurting with the students that have become victims, and want this to stop.
Freshman year, we were given “the talk” in our dorms. A police officer told us to be safe at night time, have a friend with us if we go party, and all the other “right” things to say to prevent sexual assault. But what I wish she would have told me, was to be careful going out alone with someone I thought I trusted. That sometimes, they don’t plan on taking me where they say they will. To never let my guard down. Because that, Judge Starr, is what so much of us are being faced with. It's not always being kidnapped or pushed down in an alley. We aren't all blackout drunk when it happens. There are so many different ways (unfortunately), and they all need to be addressed.
I have never lost faith in my Baylor community. I still love my school and my peers with all that I have in me, and I will always be proud to call myself a Baylor Bear. I hope, too, that one day I’ll be proud to say that I saw change happen on our campus. That you, our leader, continued to step up and lead us in our faith and continue instilling the Christian love and morals into us that we so desperately need right now. I hope to say that every true sexual assault case that was filed was won, and that no victims had to walk on campus and face their attacker every day.
I hope one day that I can again say that I feel safe at Baylor, and I hope that you can do the right things to make this happen.
