It’s easy to picture the world a certain way — as college students, we tend to live under the assumption that we are invincible.
I was no different when it came to this. But last semester, that changed. Last semester, I was sexually assaulted.
But instead of receiving the help I needed, I was treated with responses ranging from “It’s your own fault” to “If you hook up with me, it’ll help you move on.” I felt betrayed by the few people I had taken the chance to trust. Mostly, I felt helpless, like my right to be heard was being suppressed.
Because of this, I never formally reported my assault.
I am not the only one. According to New York University’s Student Health Center, 81 percent of on-campus and 84 percent of off-campus sexual assaults are not reported to the police.
Even though victims may have made their own share of mistakes in the situation, there is no justification for the continued pursuit of sexual activity when it is unwanted.
It is still sexual assault if the person is drunk or too scared to say no. It is still sexual assault if the person has history with you. It is still sexual assault if the person changes his or her mind.
This issue is much larger than any one person. Because of the outrage regarding Landen Gambill and the Honor Court, the eyes of the world are now on Chapel Hill.
But while the social media movement in support of Landen is a step in the right direction for sexual assault awareness, how much of this is just mob mentality? How many people will bring the statuses off Facebook and truly “walk the talk?”
