The post election war zone revealed the tensions of race, gender and sexuality within the United States. Millions of anxious Americans watched the map bleed red on the night of November 7, 2016. While half rejoiced in the outcome of the election, millions of other Americans were left in a state of shock, fearful for what a future under a Trump presidency could mean for them. Women’s Studies professor, Colleen Bell and member of Students Preventing Sexual Violence, Lexi Erstad, expressed their grief and worry about what this election could mean for survivors and victims of sexual assault and its impact on campus rape.
Active member of Students Preventing Sexual Violence and victims advocate of the Sexual Offense Services of Ramsey County, Lexi Erstad, discussed how the president-elect perpetuates rape culture and silences survivors,
“All of these people voted for a rapist, so they aren’t gonna care if I got raped.”
Women Against Violence Against Women, a national rape crisis center, describes rape culture as the normalization of sexual violence and violence against women. Rape culture lives in T.V., music, jokes, advertisements etc. according to WAVAW. The Billy Bush tapes, numerous accusations of sexual assault, degrading comments towards his previous wives and Miss Universe winner, Alicia Machado, are examples of rape culture in Trump’s campaign.
Women’s bodies are objectified under patriarchy and so it allows sexual violence to take place.
“Trump perpetuates rape culture in word and deed. He models objectification of women in his Miss America money-making. He profits from rating women in the basis of their bodies,” said Colleen Bell, Women’s Studies professor at Hamline University.
During the third presidential debate, as reported by CNN, Trump stated that, “Nobody has more respect for women than I do.” However, Trumps refusal to apologize for his demeaning comments and his declaration that he would sue every woman who has accused him of sexual assault has women across the nation questioning his “respect.”
Erstad spoke on how a Trump presidency could play a part in campus rape, an epidemic that is a very real reality on Hamline’s campus.
“If we have a president that is doing this the first thing that people are gonna see is oh the president it doing this, then it’s okay.”
According to the Center for Disease Control, one in five students have been raped during their lifetime. This is the national average and Hamline’s average is not far from that, in fact, according to the campus climate survey, one in four students has been sexually assaulted during their lifetime. The campus climate survey, conducted by Hamline students Elena Anderson and Brynna Morgan, has brought light to the sexual violence happening on Hamline’s campus.
According to the survey, 83 percent of students did not report their rape to campus officials. Erstad noted that Trump's money and power protect him from prosecution and continue to make it even more difficult for victims to come forward,
“Money and power make it so people can get away with acts of sexual violence.”
Colleen Bell, Women’s Studies professor also expressed how money and power influence young men’s and behavior that leads to sexual violence,
“Because he is rich and powerful, other men want to be like him. His public behavior enables and encourages others, including young males like his son, to violate women’s civil and political rights. It’s an immediate danger to women and girls in this country and elsewhere.”
This danger is real and it is on Hamline’s campus and according to Erstad Hamline isn’t doing enough to stop it. Erstad detailed the abuser based system and culture not only at Hamline but other universities as well. As reported by the campus climate survey, despite first -ear students being required to learn about consent and Hamline’s Title IX policies, only 10 percent of students felt that they were very well informed about it.
Bell discussed how Hamline has struggled to meet the federal requirements of Title XI and as a response professors and students have taken it upon themselves to make up for what Hamline is lacking on. Bell brought up Carolyn Levy’s play Until Someone Wakes Up and her FYSEM as well as her women’s studies course Living in a Rape Culture, which are steps in the right direction in spreading awareness about this issue. However she says,
“Administrative efforts are relatively recent. While it is a sign of progress to have two campus staff people assigned to Title IX, we have a long way to go”.
Both Erstad and Bell tackled the question of why college campuses are unique places for rape culture to grow and how they allow sexual violence to happen. Erstad brought up the point that for many students their time at college is the first time that they’ve had access to this type of freedom and with a lack of knowledge of consent and sexual responsibility that can lead to problems,
“This age group is focused on sex and sees it as a time to experiment,” she said, “for young men it’s about popularity”.
She went on to say that a lot of the time it doesn’t matter if it was consensual, it’s just about how many girls you’ve been with.
“College campuses are reflections of the larger society, but with exaggerated status differentials by gender, age and social power. Faculty have more power than students; men have more power than women; older people have more power than young,” said Bell.
The fear instilled by the Trump campaign is unnerving to say the least, however, it is no surprise at how it has brought allies and advocates who are willing to do anything to protect survivors of rape. It has brought sexual assault to the center of discussion and garnered a population of women and men who are looking for a solution. Hamline’s campus may have a long way to go, but students and faculty are doing everything they can to fight against the campus rape epidemic and the president-elects damaging perpetuation of rape culture.
