The Elephant in the Room: Sexual Assault
Olivia Carboni
*Names of students have been changed to keep the privacy of the interviewed**
One in five women will be attacked during her collegiate years. Only one percent of attackers are punished, according to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center. If you ask around campus, odds are many people have stories to tell. Not all of them are pretty.
On a sunny April Sunday afternoon at Lake Tahoe, Emily, a senior at the University of Nevada, Reno came forward and asked for her story to be heard. The hike to Hidden Beach on South Lake Tahoe was a breeze and the weather was beautiful, 65 and sunny. As the waves crashed onto the shore, Emily told her story.
“The first time I was assaulted I was a freshman in high school and I was competing in a state debate tournament at TMCC,” said Emily, “He was a senior at another high school in the area. We were alone in a hallway and he pushed himself onto me, he was groping me and I told him no, that I was uncomfortable, but he didn’t listen and I got away. Afterwards, I reported the incident through the school and they called my mom before I was able to tell her about it; which was so embarrassing for her to find out that way.”
When it happened again at a college dance, Emily was appalled. “We were on the dance floor and he wasn’t getting the hint so I kissed him thinking he would be satisfied. Well he only wanted more from that and it made me realize I have to speak up when I’m uncomfortable,” she said.
Mary, a sophomore at the University had a slightly different encounter, “I was alone with a boy, we were kissing and everything was fine until he started to push further and I didn’t want to go further. I kept telling him,
‘No, I don’t want to, I’m a virgin.’ But he kept trying to take my pants off. So I started yelling, ‘Get off me! Get off me! Help me! Help me!’ and my cousin came by and rescued me from the situation. He told me I was asking for it and it was my fault,” she said, “It was the first time I didn’t know what to do in a situation and it took me off guard. I’m normally feisty but he was really strong and it really scared me.”
It is astonishing to see that 95 percent of all reported interpersonal assault on the University of Nevada, Reno campus is alcohol-related, according to the YES! Always’ website. YES! Always is a group on campus that intends to spread a positive and effective message of consent when it comes to intimacy. “Over-consumption of alcohol is the number one cause of sexual assaults on campus. Alcohol impairs judgment and the consent message gets misunderstood or not used at all,” said Commander Todd Renwick of University Police Services.
Greek Life coordinator Megan Pepper said, “The argument I make to our fraternity men a lot is that our fraternity houses should be the safest place on campus for our women to be and its their duty and obligation and responsibility to make that the case.”
Roughly 80 percent of sexual assault victims knew the perpetrator, according to YES! Always’ website. This is startling to learn in a close knit Greek Community.“
[Rape cases] are very under-reported and we have issues with victims coming forward,” she said.
Renwick says there is no reason to hide if this happens to you or someone you know. “I would tell them to come forward, even if they don’t want to pursue criminal charges. They are in the driver’s seat. At least we can help them get resources, preserve any evidence or information related to the assault in the event they change their mind.”
Pepper said, “[Alcohol] is a drug and it does make changes to how you behave or the decisions you make and it’s related to sexual assault.”
This is why the University requires all incoming freshman to complete the Alcohol Wise program upon the start of the semester. “Alcohol Wise now has a consent and respect module relating to all Title IX Interpersonal Violence, Sexual Assault, all that it covers,” said Ashley Loghry, Program Specialist in the Office of Student Conduct.
When it comes to consent many have very specific questions. The YES! Always Campaign was founded last fall to answer these questions. Cassandra Breazeale, YES! Always Campaign spokesperson said, “We hope to start the conversation about the importance and necessity of consent. We want people to ask for consent, but we also want both men and women to feel empowered and in control when it comes to their sexuality and their bodies.”
The YES! Always Campaign’s ideas seem easier on paper than they work in the heat of the moment. “It’s hard because to be completely honest, I don’t want to give explicit consent whenever I want to make out with someone,” said Emily. “There does need to be a balance somehow but I’m not sure how we’d achieve that.”
Not everyone feels this way. “Consent isn’t talked about enough. A lot of the times, people think the topic of consent is awkward to address with their partners. It certainly doesn’t have to be! The more we talk about the subject, the more accepted it will become,” said Breazeale.
Situations such as these are difficult for all parties involved but there is no reason to be ashamed. Police Services, Crisis Hotlines and other forms of help are available online and in person. After utilizing these services Emily said, “In hindsight now I know what to do if I’m ever in a situation like that again. But it was scary to go through alone and I wish I wasn’t made fun of for it.”
For more statistics on sexual assault go to: http://www.nsvrc.org/sites/default/files/publications_nsvrc_factsheet_media-packet_statistics-about-sexual-violence_0.pdf
If you or someone you know is affected by sexual assault go to: https://rainn.org/get-help/national-sexual-assault-hotline
Sexual Assault Support Services: 775–784–8090
University Police Services: 775–784–4013
