As the father of a high school girl, the statistics about campus rape and sexual assault rates that scare me to death. But the stories behind the assaults are much more troubling than the mere numbers.
This isn’t something that I would normally write about here, but it is something that is on my mind and something that I feel needs to be shared.
This week, Rolling Stone magazine released an article, A Rape On Campus: A Brutal Assault and Struggle For Justice At UVA, looking at the problems at the University of Virginia, and it is a compelling read on a huge problem. I think all parents should read it.
Unfortunately, this doesn’t appear to be an isolated event. I did a simple Google search on “Campus Rape” and came up with too many stories and resources to count. If you’re interested in reading more about the problem, some of the resources are:
- Campus Rapes from NPR (a collection of NPR stories about campus rapes)
- How One College Handled A Sexual Assault Complaint
- Every College Parent’s Fear: Campus Rape
- Why the Campus Rape Crises Confounds Colleges
In part, I’m encouraged that a conversation is starting in the country. Perhaps that can help alleviate the problem. I’m also heartened that lawyers are helping hold people and schools accountable in the process.
But I’m also disheartened by many of the things I’ve read, particularly in comments to articles: people blaming the victims, people denying that a problem exists, etc.
I hope that colleges and universities and others take these matters seriously to protect my daughter, her friends, and others.
