2016 has been one hell of a year. Seriously. This year has been hell.
This year the world watched as a rapist’s father told the court his son didn’t deserve to be sentenced for “20 minutes of action” since the victim was intoxicated. This year the world watched as trolls shamed Lady Gaga after she uncovered her PTSD, because they believed she dressed too “provocatively.” This year, the world watched as America elected a sexual predator to become the most powerful man in the world. This year, I watched as the president of Bradley University, Gary Roberts, told his community that students simply get drunk and “behave in stupid ways.”
On December 8th, I was quietly tucked away in the library studying like hell for my first finals week at Bradley University. While rewriting an essay (for what felt like the hundredth time), I received an email from the University Police warning the student body about a reported sexual assault that happened on campus a few nights prior. We were told the case was being investigated, but the only known detail was that the suspect was male. The email then proceeded to give seventeen -- yep, seventeen -- precautions for people (read: women) to take if approached by someone. No mention of, you know, how to not sexually assault someone. Roberts then proceeded to make his statement, chalking the assault up to boys being boys and drunk girls being drunk girls. He claimed the whole things was just an “unfortunate accident.”
That time I dropped a gallon of milk on the supermarket floor and it exploded everywhere? That was an unfortunate accident.
That time I left a $20 bill in the Starbucks tip jar instead of $5? That was an unfortunate accident.
That time (okay, those multiple times that happen way too frequently) that I went to school with my shirt on inside out? That was an unfortunate accident.
Someone sexually assaulting another person? Not unfortunate; devastating. Not an accident; a deliberate violation of someone’s physical and mental space.
Last year, 12 sexual assaults were reported to Bradley Police. But as The Atlantic points out on January 25, 2016, data concerning campus assaults is incredibly hard to quantify and undoubtedly underreported.
Roberts quickly realized his rhetoric was, in a word, appalling, but also damaging, isolating, and incredibly offensive to those in the aftermath of an assault - whether they reported it or not. He released a follow-up mass email, claiming he does in fact, “strongly believe that sexual assault is a serious crime that is not excused by anything,” and plans to “aggressively take all appropriate steps” in aiding the victim. President Roberts also mentioned how he wished he could “take back [his] ill-considered comments.” Much like how many sexual assault survivors suddenly wish they could take back their acceptance to Bradley, I’m sure.
Bradley actually does do a decent job of prioritizing its students’ safety. There are emergency light posts all across campus, and it’s a rare occasion if you don’t see a BU Police car roaming the campus. But with such repulsive comments coming straight from our president, it’s difficult to come to terms with what might be going on behind the scenes. Who is advocating for those who come forward if Gary Roberts’ first instinct was to minimize sexual assault to two drunken teenagers? His follow up statements matter very little when his initial thoughts were so grotesquely unacceptable.
Rightfully so, Roberts has received an enormous amount of backlash from his students and community in response to his comments. If there is anything I wish for more than for justice to be served to this victim, it’s that Roberts truly learned something throughout all this. I hope he never again believes that sexual assault is trivial in any way. And I hope whoever this victim is, at the very least, has faith that the place she calls home will not only believe her, but fight for her relentlessly.
If you are a victim of sexual assault and you feel your campus administration has not properly investigated your report, be sure to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, the federal agency overseeing and enforcing Title IX. You have a right to be heard and Title IX is in place to protect you - not to allow someone to belittle your suffering.
