It is absurd that the crime of sexual assault is not given the same treatment by the Ad Board. Just like with plagiarism cases, the University should be the one bringing sexual assault charges against the alleged perpetrator. Most of us remember the severity of the Gov 1310 cheating scandal 2 years ago—imagine if the school put the same resources behind investigating sexual assault complaints.
As expressed by Title IX statutes, sexual assault is more than a crime against one person—it can create a “hostile environment” that directly opposes the intellectual ambitions of the university environment.
Administrative shifts aside, we students must create an accepting social space for victims. We should be careful not to over-exaggerate the need for strength in our women. Feminism is detrimental to women when it demands worship of just one ideal of womanhood. We need to stop telling girls that they can’t show weakness, that to do so somehow counteracts the work of Susan B. Anthony or Betty Friedan. When someone is a victim of sexual assault, they should be able to show weakness if they want to. It is certainly a situation in life when one feels alone, sad, and scared. Telling girls that showing their concerns will make them a “bad feminist” only traps them further in a cycle of guilt and despair.
From now on, when people label me as a survivor, I aim to be more proactive. “No,” I’ll say, “I’m not quite there yet.” I’m still a victim in my mind. I still get nightmares and panic attacks. Worst of all, I still spend a great deal today thinking about the victimizers who turned me into a victim. This is another reason why I want to describe myself as a “victim.”
It begs the question: Who made you a victim?
Although I am still recovering, I have come to realize that I deserve respect more than anything right now. A huge part of that is respecting my choice—perhaps my inability—to press charges against my attacker. I still second-guess myself at times, wondering if that decision was a function of my meek personality. However, if that was the case, I know that not everyone can be a hero.
For me, and others, moving on takes time, and involves accepting our perceived weakness. In the words of my friend, all victims deserve admiration.
Tez M. Clark ’17 is a Crimson editorial writer in Wigglesworth Hall.