Last week it was announced by several news outlets, including the Orlando Sentinel, that the Title IX lawsuit filed by Erica Kinsman against Florida State University would be settled for a historic $950,000. Title IX was a law put in place to ensure equal educational opportunities for all genders. Kinsman used this law in an effort to fight FSU and their unfair, negligible handling of her rape accusations against the star quarterback, James Winston. Title IX should have protected her right to an education, but FSU allowed this football player to remain on campus, playing for the school. She was forced into an arguably hostile environment consisting of attending school with her attacker and threatening students and alumni. This was especially true after her story got out, as her frequent public angered all supporters of the athletes rise to fame. After being flooded with threats the young student was essentially run out of school.
Erica's story resonated with me. It could so easily have been any other college age female, including someone like me. I have listened time and time again as girls have told me about being "roofied" and was even put in that situation, allowing someone I did not know to buy me a drink. If it hadn't have been for friends that I truly trusted, Erica's story could have been mine or my neighbor's, or a girl in my sorority's. Rape is a constantly present danger on college campuses that is not appropriately addressed. Instead of focusing on correcting the aggressor we regularly blame the victim, alcohol, or drugs.
However, I find this settlement to be valuable. But, us collegiate women, including Erica, have a long way to go. This settlement does not condemn Winston, but rather strictly enforces rape prevention, education, and title IX coordinators. Winston, now playing for the NFL, has barely received even slap on the wrist for his actions (which were confirmed by a rape kit and witness testimonies according to the CNN documentary "The Hunting Ground").
Once again, America proved that we value the entertainment industry over the average person. We hear about it everyday: movie stars, rockers, and yes, professional athletes who continuously break the law. They are barely reprimanded, asked to do menial tasks (community service, anger management, etc.), or even just let off. It is high time we address this issue across the board. College women are crying out for the 20 percent of us who will be raped before we leave college. We need help from our universities and support from the administration to change this terrifying statistic.
