Penn State, I'm Sick of This
I don't normally write "serious" blogs, but I feel the need to address the current KDR scandal at Penn State. In case you're unfamiliar with the situation, this article does a pretty good job of explaining everything that's happened; basically, the fraternity Kappa Delta Rho is being investigated after they used a private Facebook page to post nude photos of women who had passed out or were sleeping in their frat house.
I only have one thing to say about this: Penn State, I am sick of this.
Penn State has a huge problem when it comes to sexual assault and rape. Let me give you some quick facts: in 2012, Penn State had the highest number of reported sexual offenses of any campus in the country (according to The Washington Post); since February of this year, there have been 6 forcible sex offenses reported on campus; and sexual assault cases involving alcohol are often not prosecuted in State College. All of this is completely unacceptable.
Penn State is a great school and has a ton of redeeming qualities, but on the issue of sexual assault and rape they are lackluster to say the least. The KDR scandal is the perfect example of this. In the wake of the scandal, many noted that Penn State took more than two days after the story originally broke to even respond to the issue, lagging far behind the IFC's response (the Interfraternity Council placed KDR under suspension immediately). Furthermore, the University has yet to take any action against KDR or suspend any members. I understand that, in this particular case, the University can only do so much since the frat house is privately owned and the organization is the subject of a police investigation, but, considering PSU's track-record with issues related to sexual assault, I don't think it's unfair to say that they should have done more and that they should be doing more now.
Let me give you another example. Under law, Penn State is required to issue 'Timely Warnings' to notify students when sexual offenses occur on campus. A few weeks ago, I received this email from the University:
This came after a long string of Timely Warnings in the spring semester; it seems like not a week goes by without some sort of offense reported. However, I found this particular offense to be even more disturbing than usual. This happened in broad daylight, near a busy road, in an area of campus that is often well trafficked. I can easily imagine that this woman was walking to class or to her home, with every reasonable expectation of safety. There are those who have argued that the victim's of KDR's Facebook posts 'had it coming' because of their sexual behavior. Those claims are scurrilous and outrageous, but I doubt that even those KDR supporters could justify this attack on an unsuspecting woman who was simply walking around the university in broad daylight. The brazenness of the this attack is what shocked me the most; this woman has the right to travel around campus -- or anywhere else, for that matter -- at any time, without fear of being attacked. But apparently she, and everyone else at the University, have lost that right. KDR's actions do not exist in a vacuum; they are part of a larger pattern of misogyny and a deep disrespect for the most basic of human rights. And yet, there are rarely -- if ever -- consequences for those who commit sexual offenses. Sickeningly, most of these perpetrators will get away with their crimes and never face a day in court; it is this sort of permissive environment that encourages and perpetuates this cycle of abuse.
When your students can't even get to class safely, you know that you have a serious problem. I hate to bring up the Sandusky scandal, but given what Penn State went through in 2011/2012, you would think that they would have learned to take sexual offenses seriously. The Sandusky scandal lead to massive punishment and supposed "reform" for the University, but, somehow nothing has changed.
The University's failure to respond adequately to this issue has created an atmosphere of fear and inequality for its students, and all I can say is that I'm absolutely sick of it.
Just sayin'
Note: This blog is my opinion. This blog is not an attempt to offer any sort of comprehensive analysis of the KDR investigation/scandal, but rather to raise awareness about a larger issue which impacts the entire nation.
I only have one thing to say about this: Penn State, I am sick of this.
Penn State has a huge problem when it comes to sexual assault and rape. Let me give you some quick facts: in 2012, Penn State had the highest number of reported sexual offenses of any campus in the country (according to The Washington Post); since February of this year, there have been 6 forcible sex offenses reported on campus; and sexual assault cases involving alcohol are often not prosecuted in State College. All of this is completely unacceptable.
Penn State is a great school and has a ton of redeeming qualities, but on the issue of sexual assault and rape they are lackluster to say the least. The KDR scandal is the perfect example of this. In the wake of the scandal, many noted that Penn State took more than two days after the story originally broke to even respond to the issue, lagging far behind the IFC's response (the Interfraternity Council placed KDR under suspension immediately). Furthermore, the University has yet to take any action against KDR or suspend any members. I understand that, in this particular case, the University can only do so much since the frat house is privately owned and the organization is the subject of a police investigation, but, considering PSU's track-record with issues related to sexual assault, I don't think it's unfair to say that they should have done more and that they should be doing more now.
Let me give you another example. Under law, Penn State is required to issue 'Timely Warnings' to notify students when sexual offenses occur on campus. A few weeks ago, I received this email from the University:
This came after a long string of Timely Warnings in the spring semester; it seems like not a week goes by without some sort of offense reported. However, I found this particular offense to be even more disturbing than usual. This happened in broad daylight, near a busy road, in an area of campus that is often well trafficked. I can easily imagine that this woman was walking to class or to her home, with every reasonable expectation of safety. There are those who have argued that the victim's of KDR's Facebook posts 'had it coming' because of their sexual behavior. Those claims are scurrilous and outrageous, but I doubt that even those KDR supporters could justify this attack on an unsuspecting woman who was simply walking around the university in broad daylight. The brazenness of the this attack is what shocked me the most; this woman has the right to travel around campus -- or anywhere else, for that matter -- at any time, without fear of being attacked. But apparently she, and everyone else at the University, have lost that right. KDR's actions do not exist in a vacuum; they are part of a larger pattern of misogyny and a deep disrespect for the most basic of human rights. And yet, there are rarely -- if ever -- consequences for those who commit sexual offenses. Sickeningly, most of these perpetrators will get away with their crimes and never face a day in court; it is this sort of permissive environment that encourages and perpetuates this cycle of abuse.
When your students can't even get to class safely, you know that you have a serious problem. I hate to bring up the Sandusky scandal, but given what Penn State went through in 2011/2012, you would think that they would have learned to take sexual offenses seriously. The Sandusky scandal lead to massive punishment and supposed "reform" for the University, but, somehow nothing has changed.
The University's failure to respond adequately to this issue has created an atmosphere of fear and inequality for its students, and all I can say is that I'm absolutely sick of it.
Just sayin'
Note: This blog is my opinion. This blog is not an attempt to offer any sort of comprehensive analysis of the KDR investigation/scandal, but rather to raise awareness about a larger issue which impacts the entire nation.
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