(Elizabeth Levengood/Staff Illustrator)
DAN ORZECHOWSKI
News Editor
Once every 98 seconds.
According to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN), that’s how often a person experiences sexual assault.
Recently, we’ve seen movements like #MeToo and “Time’s Up” spur serious conversation on sexual abuse. Because of these movements, we’ve seen several people high on the totem pole step down from their positions. Some are already facing jail time. But can the same energy be applied to college campuses?
Before this question can be answered, it’s important to note that sexual abuse is not always reported — even on college campuses.
“The reasons for [survivors] not reporting can be very personal but also exhibit a distrust in the system or fear of their perpetrator,” said Anneliese Bienko, a senior social work major and president of Fredonia Feminists.
Under the Clery Act, all universities that receive federal funding for financial aid purposes must report all crimes that happen on their campuses. However, while it’s mandated that sexual abuse cases (and all other crimes) are reported every year, the number of reported incidents with sexual violence doesn’t necessarily reflect the number of actual occurrences.
“The Clery Act is very specific,” said Julie Bezek, the coordinator of substance abuse and violence prevention on campus. “The crimes have to take place on campus. You can not count crimes that don’t meet all the criteria, and what you see from Clery Act numbers is a small piece of what the total picture is,” she said.
RAINN’s website provides data on reasons survivors don’t report sexual violence. The organization reported that 26 percent of females attending a university feel as if their incident was a personal matter. At the same time, 20 percent of the same population fear some sort of reprisal.
Bienko said she’s heard many stories and that she knows many people who have experienced sexual assault.
“We really need to work on creating a culture around believing and supporting victims and survivors of sexual violence,” she said.
“Shame and guilt often come with sexual assault. A victim could also be embarrassed. There are just so many reasons why someone would not report what happened,” said Bezek. “Comparatively, when you look at robbery or car theft, most people wouldn’t think twice about reporting those crimes to the police and seeing those [perpetrators] brought to justice.”
In November of last year, Fredonia saw the birth of its own #MeToo campaign. A long list of alleged abusers from Fredonia was posted on Twitter and, before that, a similar list was written on a bathroom wall in BJ’s, a bar located downtown. As soon as the post was published, backlash and praise were both seen.
When asked about whether or not writing these lists were good ideas, Bezek had a hesitant answer.
“I encourage students to seek out the sense of activism that feels right to them, but they must also understand what the potential consequences could be,” she said.
Bill Boerner, Fredonia’s affirmative action officer and Title IX coordinator, echoed Bezek’s words.
“I don’t want to judge someone’s form of activism. This is a public arena and these individuals are adults … and perhaps some civil consequences could follow,” said Boerner. “Personally, I don’t think an [abuser list] is the best approach. It’s possible that some students shared sexual violence stories without the permission of the victims.”
Boerner believes that today’s political climate and the power of celebrities have cemented awareness for sexual assault.
“Hollywood has clout,” he said. “If a prominent person is called out in an arena that is pretty big, it has the ability to impact real change. When we have leaders who are also engaging in alleged sexual harassment or assault, that brings [the movements] to a higher stage.”
Although #MeToo, “Time’s Up” and other movements have gained momentum in recent months, some of these projects have been around for years. Are they here to stay?
Bienko thinks so.
“The primary difference between [these movements and others] is the aspect of social media and how [they have] reached such a huge audience, and perpetrators are finally being held accountable,” she said. “Social media has added a sense of solidarity that wasn’t as distinct as before.”
Bezek and Boerner also believe these movements will continue to stick around.
“I’ve heard a lot of men worry about what’s going to happen to them … and sometimes that’s good,” said Boerner. “We should be re-evaluating and reflecting on our behavior and then enacting change. Major abusers will continue to do what they do. But the people who may go down that line might re-evaluate themselves to learn and grow.”
Although she agrees with Boerner, Bezek can get a little overwhelmed with the whole movement.
“It’s a hard movement. Everyday there is a new story, a new facet of it, and at times I just can’t hear anymore. I think that it’s been bottled up for so long that the floodgates have now opened.”