When you're heading off to college, you get showered with all kinds of advice: Don't take early classes buy one of these organizers, do this, don't do that, but whatever you do, stay away from frat parties or else. So naturally as a young, clueless freshman, I was scared when my friends suggested going to one. Now, I love them, and I actually feel safe when I attend a fraternity party.
For starters, frats aren't allowed to serve "jungle juice," the rapiest of all party beverages. Contrary to the popular stereotype, frats can't even serve hard liquor; just beer in cans that haven't been opened or drugged or anything else weird like that. Everything is strictly regulated so all you have to worry about is having a good time. And they actually follow the rules. Members from IFC (the inter fraternity council) come around to all registered Greek events to make sure nothing sketchy is going on. And if something sketchy is happening? Well, that house can have a fun, social-less semester on probation.
Also, they're required to have sober monitors to make sure no one's dying, guys aren't being creepy, girls are safe and no ones vomiting their day away in the bathroom. Members of the fraternity soberly spend their night checking in on everyone, so if you have a serious problem, they can swoop in and save the day. At regular house parties, the hosts usually partake in the fun party festivities and are not in any sort of capacity to help out in any situation, and sometimes could be a part of the problem.
While I completely agree that sexual assault is a disgusting problem in our nation, it's not just a solely Greek problem; the media just magnifies it to make it seem like it is for its uneducated, biased viewers. How often are news stories written about a sexual assault that happened in some apartment building? Rarely ever because why would anyone want to read, "Regular Boy Commits Assault." Yet when it happens in a fraternity house, all hell breaks loose and it's War War III in the Greek community. I'm not saying I think sexual assault is okay -- it absolutely is not -- it's just that our perception of where it most commonly occurs is skewed and that's unfair.
Yes, when I hear "frat party," I don't all of a sudden shrill in fear; I ask "OMG where?" I feel safer being at an event in which I know what to expect and what I'm getting myself into...plus, I know these guys so I'm always surrounded by friends.
So frat hard and frat often, ladies. All you have to worry about is where to get a choker necklace to wear to the 90's themed party your fave frat is throwing this weekend because I promise it'll be a fun and safe night.
