There are many concerns when you first go to college; what will you need to bring? Will you like your classes? Will you be a victim of sexual assault? We are in a place where being sexually assaulted is a very real concern for most women. It is a widespread statistic that 1 in 5 women will be a victim of sexual assault, not including the women who do not report.
The need to go out before the sun rises or after it sets isn't uncommon for women in college. You should feel safe going to a class early in the morning or going to the library later in the day. Most universities have taken measures to protect students, but these measures sometimes aren't enough. For example, my university has adopted the emergency blue light phones that can connect you directly to the police, but they are scarce.
Other measures can include lit paths to follow at night or the presence of police. On paper, it seems like enough. You buy yourself some mace, or even a taser if you want, and you walk in groups. Every once in a while, you are reminded how none of that matters.
It was the morning of Wednesday, the 14th of June when a student at my University was robbed and sexually assaulted on campus. This is not the first time and will not be the last time, but there was something different about it that upset a lot of people. The university usually sends out emails and text alerts when crimes happen on or close to campus, but they didn't report this one. The University's reasoning for not alerting students is because the threat was not imminent.
The suspect was arrested on the 22nd of June and is charged with one count of robbery and two counts of sexual abuse, according to a later email sent out by the university.
The major problem with this incident, aside from the fact that it happened in the first place, was that the university didn't consider it enough of a threat for students to be notified immediately. The constant reminder of sexual assaults on campus can be disturbing, but it is more important for the alerts to be sent out than for students to be left in the dark.
While there are some places where the universities can't step in (parties, off-campus locations, etc.), it is their responsibility to protect all students to the best of their ability. In addition to protecting students, it's our responsibility as a campus to create an environment where women are encouraged to report assaults. With the rise in the media of male students getting away with sexual assault, it is no wonder that sexual assault isn't reported. Female students are made examples of so many times, being victim-blamed and dragged through the mud, and it leads to this environment where women feel it is better to stay quiet.
It is important for students to feel that any threat against them is imminent. It's important for students to feel that they matter.
