Dear Universities,
I have read the unnerving story of the University of Alabama student who was raped, yet became the perpetrator because of the accused "Sweet T's" wealthiness.
Don't know what I'm talking about? Read here.
Why aren't you protecting us?
All I can say is...
Shame on you. Shame on you for choosing school success over a victim. Shame on you for victim blaming. Shame on you for not listening to us when we hurt.
Why is one person more important than the other? Why is her testimony "unreliable" while his is "the truth?"
Yes, he may have touchdowns, a future in the NFL.
But what about what she had? What HE took away from her?
How are her successes not as important? Please explain to me why girls (and boys as well), are TURNED AWAY because of status, money, or success.
Did you know, 80 percent of sexual assault on college campuses go unreported?
1 in 5 who DO report it; are actually given the resources to combat the anxiety and depression that comes with it.
WAKE UP.
WAKE UP AND REALIZE THE BROCK TURNERS OF THE UNIVERSITY ARE NOT STOPPING.
Why is aiding and abetting illegal, yet that is what you are doing when the rapist YOU ALLOW continues their education.
You are allowing their crime to go unnoticed. You ask why we don't report. You wonder why we are afraid to walk alone.
Yet you allow our abusers to walk the same streets we do.
Do not pretend like you care; because you don't. You have shamed us, degraded us, and told us WE WERE WRONG, or that we didn't fight hard enough.
A 120-pound girl did not fight the 200-pound man hard enough?
Universities: please listen. Stop allowing us to be afraid. Stop manipulating us into believing we are wrong.
We need you to listen. We need you to be there for us.
Please, consider a more open conversation. Let us talk to you and explain our emotions and experiences.
Stop protecting them.
Sincerely,
Every Survivor