Sexual violence on campus: Assaults have consequences

The recent Title IX complaint against Yale University, as well as the advertising for the annual Take Back the Night march occurring tonight, has reminded Columbia that sexual violence is rampant on college campuses—our own included, though we are reluctant to admit it.

Columbia reported 19 forcible sexual offenses on campus in 2009. But this number pales in comparison with the latest statistic from the New York State Coalition Against Sexual Assault that states that one in four women will experience sexual assault while in college. Such a discrepancy points to the truth that occurrences of sexual violence are vastly underreported. It’s horrifying to try and estimate how common assault actually is, and too often, the easier route is to settle into comfortable ignorance or apathy, tricking ourselves into thinking there is no need to be cautious when at a bar or a party, especially when we are with people we know.

This gap between reported and unreported cases of assault can in large part be attributed to the fact that victims and survivors are, understandably, reluctant to report such incidents to campus security. Some feel that the administration will not respond in a fair and sensitive way. Furthermore, the discrepancy is nearly inevitable when for 80 percent of sexual assaults, the perpetrator is an acquaintance of the victim.

Consequences need to be more severe for students who commit acts of sexual violence against their peers. Last year there was only one expulsion of a student who had committed sexual assault. If, as is likely, more than one of the reported 19 cases of sexual assault occurred, then why didn’t more than one person face serious punishment? Moreover, this is the only expulsion for sexual assault since 2002. Students who have experienced assault should not have to endure the added trauma of running into their attackers in the hallways or worrying they will pass them on College Walk. Expulsion is not an extreme punishment for sexual assault—it is a necessary one.

Granted, the administration needs to be assured of a student’s guilt before dismantling his life in one stern sentence, and sexual assault cases are particularly difficult to prove given their nature, but perhaps this speaks to the need for more thorough and rigorous investigation after the school receives a report of an offense. Very little of the administration’s affairs in dealing with sexual assault are public, so it’s possible that they are already giving the matter due attention. Nevertheless, students at this school have been vocal about the administration’s lack of resolve and effectiveness in addressing this problem, which, when coupled with the lack of visible discipline of students, suggests that something is lacking in the administration’s approach to sexual violence on campus. By increasing the stakes for students who assault their peers, the University would send the message that it is serious about doing everything in its power to stop sexual violence.

Additionally, students should be attentive to the valuable message of groups like Take Back the Night, whose mission is to fight the apathy that can plague our student body. But rather than waiting for the next big case of assault or next year’s Take Back the Night march before we discuss this again, we should not let this issue fall by the wayside. Too often, students, groups, and even the Editorial Board discuss the importance of this topic only when the problem is especially pronounced or when it seems appropriate given the time of year. But the topic of sexual violence should not be confined to April. As students, we need to keep in mind the message of the brave voices of those who have spoken up about their experiences and remember that sexual violence on campus is unacceptable 12 months of the year.