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Rape Culture Educational Awareness on College Campuses

Part 1- Introduction

Brock Turner was a Stanford student. One night he was caught sexually assaulting a highly

intoxicated woman behind a dumpster. She didn’t remember her assault, but bystanders who

intervened called the assault brutal. Normally, Brock would’ve spent time in prison. Instead

Brock's sentence was six months (he served only three) and was released on parole/probation. He

will be a sex offender for the rest of his life, but was this a fair punishment?

The Oxford Dictionary defines rape culture as A society or environment whose prevailing social

attitudes have the effect of normalizing or trivializing sexual assault and abuse. ("rape culture |

Definition of rape culture in English by Oxford Dictionaries" 2017)

Behaviors commonly associated with rape culture include victim blaming, slut shaming, sexual

objectification, trivializing rape, denial of widespread rape, refusing to acknowledge the harm

caused by some forms of sexual violence, or some combination of these. (Strain, Hockett, &

Saucier "Precursors to rape: pressuring behaviors and rape proclivity." 2015) The notion of rape

culture has been used to describe and explain behavior within social groups, including prison

rape, and in conflict areas where war rape is used as psychological warfare. Rape culture is a

problem on college campuses, but does it exist? The popular cultural narrative, real or not

doesn’t stop young women from being sexually assaulted.

The statistics are staggering. RAINN recently reported “Female college-aged students (18-24)

are 20% less likely than non-students of the same age to be a victim of rape or sexual assault.,

but only 20% of female student victims, age 18-24, report their assault to law enforcement.”
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(“Campus Sexual Violence” Statistics-RAINN) Why are college students less likely to report

their sexual assaults to either campus police or local law enforcement?

The Hunting Ground, a documentary about rape on college campuses, explored the relationship

sexual assault survivors have with administration officials when they reported their assaults. The

documentary asserts College/university administrations are more likely to believe the accused

over the accuser. College campuses want to protect their reputations; a definite example of rape

culture.

In essence The Hunting Ground is about two students. Annie Clark and Andrea Pino reported

their assaults to the administration of their university, however Annie and Andrea didn’t get the

justice they deserved. After wrestling with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

administration, they took drastic action. Soon after, they discovered a then uncommonly known

law called Title IX.

After The Hunting Ground came out, survivors came forward. Survivors sued their

colleges/universities under “Title XI.” Numerous lawsuits led to the investigation of 250

colleges/Universities across the country.

What is Title IX? Title IX protects people from discrimination based on sex in education

programs or activities that receive Federal financial assistance. Title IX states that: “No person in

the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the

benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving

Federal financial assistance.” (OCR "Title IX and Sex Discrimination" 2015) How does this law

apply to sexual assault survivors? College/university mishandling or ignoring a sexual assault

report is technically in violation of the Title IX law.

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Consequently, there are authors of books and articles who think rape culture is just hysteria

feminists created. They believe college/university administrations are pressured into a reaction

because they’re afraid of lawsuits and the federal government rescinding funds they need. Rape

culture isn’t a feminist problem. It’s a human problem. Awareness is one solution. Lack of

awareness makes it difficult to change the culture. My second solution requires

college/universities need to take the issue more seriously. Changing policies gives the survivors

due process and protects future sexual assaults. Universities/Colleges have a duty to protect their

students. Clear consent and the true definition of sexual assault needs to exist. Part of the

problem involves alcohol, drugs and the “hook up” phenomenon. Instead of teaching our

daughters to not get raped, we need to teach our sons not to rape. Sometimes total intoxication

makes it hard to clearly consent to the sexual encounter.

Part 2- Solutions

My first solution is mandatory sexual harassment/assault for all incoming freshman. A study

done by the Journal of Adolescent Health found 19% of women said they had been a victim of

attempted or completed rape, either by force or while they were incapacitated due to alcohol or

drugs, during their freshman year. (Carey, Durney, Shepardson, & Carey 2015 584)

Mandatory sexual assault/awareness for all incoming Freshman on safety will greatly reduce the

risks associated with sexual assault on college campuses. The course will educate the students on

rape awareness, sexual harassment, intoxication risks and safety solutions. (an example: go out in

groups. 1 person in the group stays sober)

Generally speaking universities/colleges will also greatly benefit. Simple education for all

incoming freshman could save universities millions of dollars, and lawsuits under the Title IX
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law. United Educators—An insurance company that represents colleges/universities has received

over 1,000 cases of sexual assault (from 2011-2013) at the institutions it represents. Less than

100 of those cases resulted in monetary losses, however those that did amounted to $21.8 million

over a five-year period between 2011 and 2015. Several incidents payed out about $1-2 million

in claims. (Merritt 2013) Colleges/universities understand and protect their bottom line. If

they’re known as the “rape school” their number of students applying would be greatly reduced

—a fact the college/university administrations know very well.

One major concern colleges/universities may run into is parents who may protest making sexual

assault awareness mandatory. Parents may think universities/colleges are overstepping their

boundaries. Why should their child sit through a seminar/class? It won’t happen to their child,

right?

There are also strict religious parents who may have concerns about a sexual assault prevention

seminar/class. Parents may not want to pay for a mandatory course on sexual assault prevention.

Can they receive a waiver? Will it affect admission numbers because parents won’t want them to

attend the seminar? Universities/Colleges need to work out the questions and concerns parents

may have with a course like this they may want to consider exemptions in certain cases. The

same parents who don’t want their child to participate in sex education in high school may have

some problems with the mandatory sexual assault prevention seminar/class.

Another reason Universities/College may have concerns; money. Of course, universities/colleges

need to pay for their seminar/classes somehow. Making sexual assault education “mandatory”

like an English or Math class is bound to cause some financial concerns for lower income

students/students on financial aid.

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Overall, some students themselves may have problems with making this course a requirement.

There may be some protests from men’s rights organizations. They believe rape culture is a

myth. Furthermore, they believe colleges/universities convict accused students before the

incident is investigated. This total lack of understanding by men’s rights organizations is one of

the reasons the laws themselves need to change.

My second solution has to do with a creating a grassroots effort by activists/people changing

laws. In 2014, California passed the “yes means yes” law. The California law not only defines

consent, and says consent can be rescinded at any time, but it also forces colleges/universities in

California who receive public funding (including federal grants) to change their polices when

rape is reported. “The bill would require these governing boards to adopt certain sexual assault

policies and protocols, as specified, and would require the governing boards, to the extent

feasible, to enter into memoranda of understanding or other agreements or collaborative

partnerships with on-campus and community-based organizations to refer students for assistance

or make services available to students[….]. (“SB-967 Student safety: sexual assault.” CHAPTER

748)

Why aren’t more states passing affirmative consent laws? It’s time to start a grassroots campaign

in all 50 states. Activists/students need to step it up. I think a grassroots effort involving

organizations, and anyone else who wants to join in should be established. Online efforts are a

good way to start, but ultimately, it’s going to take lobbying state senators/congress members to

get bills written. One state law maker is all it takes to get the ball rolling. Governors are under

scrutiny because of the Title XI investigations into rape on college campuses, so pushback from

governors would be minimal.

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A grassroots campaign would force states to recognize a huge problem, and work with activists

to combat it. An organization started by former VP Biden called “It’s On Us” is a great example

of the government finally facing damaging DOJ statistics largely ignored. Working together

would not only greatly reduce the number of unreported cases, but it would force Universities to

hold their students accountable for their actions. (Joe Biden "It's on Us " 2017)

President Obama sent guidelines to Universities/Colleges all over the country outlining ways to

handle sexual assault reports, however it doesn’t go far enough. Passing laws on a state (and

even federal) level is a positive way to move forward. I’m sure any grassroots effort to pass a law

would face backlash from organizations like The National Coalition for Men. Currently, their

website claims laws like the Affirmative Action “Yes Means Yes” law infringes on rights, and of

course they love to talk about false reporting. Possible political power would force some state

lawmakers to back down. These organizations have powerful members who donate money to

campaigns. Efforts to pass affirmative consent laws shouldn’t slow down because there are also

powerful women who would fight tooth and nail. Combating college sexual assault would

address a huge problem largely ignored for decades.

Unfortunately, the effort will not come without criticism and dissent. The National Coalition for

Men has written numerous articles on this subject. They claim “institutional bias” and routinely

call Title IX lawsuits something a radical feminist or scorned ex-girlfriend does when they get

rejected. They point out false cases as evidence, and occasionally call out universities when they

carefully investigate cases of sexual assault. They also publish names of women as evidence

they’re claims are right. They did win a victory recently when new Education Secretary Betsy

Devos, someone with limited to no experience when it comes to the educational system,
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rescinded the guidelines the Obama Administration gave Universities/Colleges on handling

sexual assault claims. She claims it infringes on the rights of the accused.

Conservative states may also have some problems passing an affirmative consent law.

Lawmakers from more conservative states believe in abstinence before marriage, and some may

blame the victim. Others believe in silly conspiracies like “legalized rape.” Legalized rape allows

the man (or woman) to finish even if their partner revokes their consent. They may receive

protests and examples of false prosecution from powerful constituents. It may become an over

politicized topic taking away from the point of the law all together.

My third solution is also about education, but education and awareness need to start in middle,

high schools, and at home. Parents all over the country need to ask themselves one question:

Why are we teaching our girls not to be raped when we should be teaching our sons not to rape?

Middle and high schools teach sex education as a part of health course curriculum all over the

country, however it’s time Parents need to get involved. Teaching our sons/daughters the

meaning of consent, why harassing their classmates is wrong, and how a two-party consent is

needed to engage in sexual activity as part of their middle/high school health curriculum is

something schools need to think about. This class would be geared toward young men, and

would be a requirement as a part of their curriculum.

In 2013, a young girl from West Virginia was sexually assaulted at a party in Steubenville, Ohio.

Two football players were arrested and prosecuted for the crime. An interesting fact came out

during the trial—the boys didn’t understand the definition of rape.

Plenty of nonprofit activist agencies out there who would be happy to create educational

programs that would teach young men why the “macho man” culture leads to misunderstandings
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about sexual harassment and assault. Sexual harassment education is a big issue in the

workplace, so we should teach our sons how to identify it, stop it when they see it, and report it if

they have evidence it happened. Holly Kearl, the author of Stop Street Harassment, found almost

1 in 4 women had experienced street harassment by age 12 and nearly 90% by age 19. (Kearl

Stop global street harassment: growing activism around the world 2015)

Sadly, Sometimes the victim is seen as the “problem” instead of the person accused of assaulted

her. The victim blaming usually starts on social media, and it can lead to suicide. Including

Sensitivity training will also counteract the “macho man” attitude toward women in general. I

believe learning at a younger age will help them understand it doesn’t matter what she wears or

her previous sexual behaviors, saying no equals rape.

At the same time, young women would be separately learning about sexual assault/harassment

intervention. It would include guest speakers (maybe survivors or the rapist themselves as part of

punishment/rehabilitation), and it would run parallel to the young men.

When the health class starts the sexual harassment portion, the young men and women would

combine if they feel comfortable talking about it. It should be left up to the school and the

instructor. Sexual harassment is major issue in our country, so young women need to find a safe

space and be open about a common problem not only in the workplace, but in their schools as

well.

Consequently, conservative values some parents may not want their middle/high school children

to participate in this part of the course. Like sex education, I think it needs to remain an option

not a requirement. The statistics on sex education in schools is overwhelmingly positive.

Conservative states may also have a problem with educating children at a younger age because
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most of them teach Abstinence-only education. While there’s nothing wrong with teaching

abstinence, children miss out on the most important issues regarding harassment and assault.

Unfortunately, making this course optional instead of mandatory may inhibit important tools that

may help their kid get through sticky situations when it comes to judgement. Kids who don’t

attend this course may become the college student who doesn’t understand the word no.

Part 3- Argument

I believe mandatory sexual assault/awareness prevention education courses are the most effective

solution in the battle against rape culture. Yes, parents and students will have concerns for

various reasons, however Studies have shown education has temporarily reduced the number of

sexual assaults. (ABBEY, ZAWACK, BUCK, CLINTON , & MCAUSLAN "Alcohol and Sexual

Assault")

The belief sexual assault and harassment doesn’t happen in middle/high schools is a myth. In

fact, it happens more than you would think. It is common and it’s greatly underreported to

authorities. (DOJ "Rape and Sexual Assault" 2017) Parents should not turn a blind eye with the

“it won’t happen to my kid” attitude. Education is the most efficient way to help the possible

victims recognize a sticky or dangerous situation and get out of it as quickly as possible. Parents

should support sexual assault/harassment education programs because it could save their child

from a lifetime of shame and self-loathing.

I’m absolutely convinced college aged kids should enter college with great excitement and

independence. College is a time for kids to discover who they are without their parents.

Sometimes they don’t realize they’re putting themselves in danger. Statistics show one in twenty
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(approx. 4.7%) college Freshman girls are assaulted within the first seven months. (NSVRC

"Campus Sexual Violence Resource List" 2014)

Opponents raise concerns about sexual assault/awareness in deeply religious communities.

Students raised in religious homes may be sheltered. Requiring awareness/prevention education

could help them understand the dangers of college life. If they are sexually assaulted would they

believe it was a sin? Education and awareness would teach them it’s not their fault. They did

nothing wrong.

Unfortunately, date/acquaintance rape is common. A study once found that acquaintance rape (or

date rape) accounts for about 90 percent of total college/university assaults and a lot of date rape

victims don’t label their assault as “rape.”

Bystander education is becoming popular on campuses all over the country. How would

bystander education programs help prevent more assaults from occurring? If parents don’t teach

their sons/daughters about sexual assault and consent, would they join any intervention program?

Not only should bystander intervention be introduced in high schools all over the country, but I

believe young offenders could also benefit from the program.

I believe education on sexual assault and awareness is the best solution. It should be introduced

as young as middle school, but only in a limited fashion. High schools however, should consider

adding prevention/awareness to their health curriculum. Adding education early could help

students steer through the obstacles of college life. Bystander education is important, and a big

step in the right direction. One of the reasons rape culture exists is because people refuse to

speak up for the survivor. I know high school students want to be cool and popular. If they speak

up, they could lose their friends—something detrimental in high school.

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Middle/high schools have largely been left out of the debate, and they fail their students.

President Obama’s 2011 “Dear Colleague” letter urged K-12 schools to better investigate

reported sexual assaults. ("Dear Colleague Letter " 2011) Unlike the college/universities, it

specifies school administrations “must use a preponderance of the evidence standard” instead of

the more rigorous “clear and convincing” standard. K-12 schools lack the federal oversight. The

oversight instead falls onto local governments.

Daisy Coleman was a typical high school student until she was assaulted by one of her brother’s

friends. Her mother found her the next morning frozen and incoherent. Daisy’s rapist admitted

what he did, but later recanted. He was prosecuted for giving alcohol to Daisy and her friend. He

was never prosecuted for her assault. Recently, she described the loneliness and self-loathing.

After multiple suicide attempts, she discovered a silver lining. Now she spends her time talking

to high school students about her story to raise awareness and educate high school students about

the dangers and life changing consequences of drinking.

Mandatory education is a course that could save another young girl from becoming a “Daisy

Coleman.” It could help a group of girls create their own safety plan if they decide to go out one

night and drinking may or may not be involved. Yes, forcing it this course like Math and Science

could get protests because the students may not have the money.

Consequently, I guarantee there would be some pushback from students who receive financial

aid. Maybe the administrations could assist with the cost or give credits for taking the course. If

admission applications decreased significantly, colleges/universities would most definitely come

up with a solution that would benefit lower income students on scholarships or financial aid.
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Benefiting financially along with school credits could push colleges/universities the right

direction—The direction that I believe is the most feasible for success and safety. Higher

institutions have a duty to protect the students while they are enrolled.

My own assault has greatly affected me. I believe schools must protect their students, and rape

culture has to be first acknowledged. Then schools have to sit down with women’s rights groups,

and national organizations. A solution would involve awareness and prevention. It should be

welcomed and embraced. The only way we could end an epidemic like rape culture is to work

together as students, faculty, and compassionate humans.

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Works Cited

ABBEY, ANTONIA , et al. “Alcohol and Sexual Assault.” National Institute on Alcohol Abuse

and Alcoholism, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,

pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh25-1/43-51.htm.

“Campus Sexual Violence Resource List.” Campus Sexual Violence Resource List | National

Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC), National Sexual Violence Resource Center,

www.nsvrc.org/saam/campus-resource-list.

“Campus Sexual Violence: Statistics.” Campus Sexual Violence: Statistics |

RAINN,.rainn.org/statistics/campus-sexual-violence.

Carey , Kate B, et al. “Incapacitated and Forcible Rape of College Women: Prevalence Across

the First Year.” Incapacitated and Forcible Rape of College Women: Prevalence Across the First

Year, Journal of Adolescent Health , 25 Feb. 2015,

i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2015/images/05/20/carey_jah_proof.pdf. Page 584

“Dear Colleague Letter .” Dear Colleague Letter from Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights

Russlynn Ali. -- Printable, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION OFFICE FOR

CIVIL RIGHTS, 4 Apr. 2011, www2.ed.gov/print/about/offices/list/ocr/letters/colleague-

201104.html.

“Rape and Sexual Assault.” Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), DOJ, 27 June 2017,

www.bjs.gov/index.cfm?ty=tp&tid=317.

“It's on Us .” It's On Us, Joe Biden, 2017, itsonus.org

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Kearl, Holly. Stop global street harassment: growing activism around the world. Praeger, An

imprint of ABC-CLIO, LLC, 2015.

Merritt, Tahira Khan. “Campus Rape Offender Statistics - tkmlawfirm.Com.” Campus Rape

Offender Statistics, 23 Mar. 2013, tkmlawfirm.com/campus-rape-offender-statistics/.

“Rape culture | Definition of rape culture in English by Oxford Dictionaries.” Oxford

Dictionaries | English, Oxford Dictionaries, 2017,

en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/rape_culture.

Strain, M L, et al. “Precursors to rape: pressuring behaviors and rape proclivity.” Violence and

victims., U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2015, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25929145.

“Title IX and Sex Discrimination.” OCR, US Department of Education (ED), 15 Oct. 2015,

www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/tix_dis.html.