Yesterday’s annual safety forum, which drew record numbers compared to years past, focused on the issue of sexual assault, a problem largely kept in the dark and one officials have recently committed to exposing.
The Campus Affairs Committee, which is charged by the Senate Executive Committee with compiling a university safety report every year, picked the topic to coincide with the committee’s investigation, launched earlier this semester, focusing on the rape culture that exists on university campuses.
At McKeldin Library last night, Allison Bennett, coordinator of the Sexual Assault Response and Prevention Program, cited a U.S. Department of Justice survey that states one in five women will be raped while in college and only 5 percent will report it. She also noted that more than 90 percent of sexual assaults are committed by acquaintances, an issue that makes it less likely that victims will come forward and report the crime.
“Mace or using a blue light isn’t going to help you when it’s your best friend walking you home,” Bennett said. “Where we need to focus our attention on is the bulk of the student body and really activate each individual to respond. We have to be responsible for taking care of each other.”
Four panelists spoke about the existing services for victims of sexual assault, how police go about investigating these crimes, student prevention and the actual prevalence of rape on this campus. The university, which is required by law to submit the number of sexual assaults to the U.S. Department of Education through the Clery Act, saw 17 incidents of forcible sexual offenses reported in 2008.
Audience members were given the chance to ask questions after each panelist presented. Some used the opportunity to criticize a university rule that only allows the Office of Student Conduct to investigate sexual assaults that occur on the campus and involve current students.
“To me, that seems pretty ridiculous that there are policies that aren’t applicable to off-campus students,” undergraduate senator Julia Burke said. “If I live off-campus and I’m raped, my rapist can’t be punished [by the university]. But if someone riots off-campus, that person can be punished.”
Bennett said this issue isn’t a new one.
“The difference in treatment of sex crimes versus other crimes in the community is a challenge,” she said. “This is definitely something that warrants exploring because it is an issue.”
University Police spokesman Paul Dillon said one of the biggest challenges is motivating students to talk about the uncomfortable issue.
“It’s a difficult crime to prevent,” Dillon said, citing the fact that most rapes happen between acquaintances and behind closed doors. “Prevention comes out of education and motivating community members to talk about it and make it a front page issue. If we can get 4,000 students to run into the streets after a regular season win that happens all the time, why can’t we motivate them to care about the 50 or so rapes that happen every year? It’s got to be a team effort to get our student body involved.”
Another student questioned whether encouraging students to report incidents of sexual assault could negatively impact the university’s reputation or frighten students by leading to greater numbers of reported on-campus assaults and rapes. But officials, who noted those numbers would be more in line with reality anyway, said that was a risk they’re willing to take.
“This is the one crime rate I want to see rise,” Dillon said. “We’d have to deal with increased numbers of violent crime because that’s what rape is and those numbers are very low here, but that’s something we’re prepared to deal with. It’s by far the most underreported crime we’ll ever face, and we’ll live with the uptake in violent crime if that means we can get more people reporting.”
Although the committee’s annual forum typically sees sparse attendance, more than 50 people — most of them students — filled the room last night, a sign committee members said shows students care about the problem.
“Students often feel alienated from their ability to make change happen,” said undergraduate senator Bob Hayes, who is also a member of the committee. “But this turnout shows that the campus rape culture is not OK. Students want to hold each other accountable and make people aware of the issue.”
redding@umdbk.com
