TO THE EDITOR:
The line between sex and rape is not hazy, novel or difficult to comprehend. If there is any question in a person’s ability to give consent, whether or not related to drinking, the answer is simply to not have sex.
Understanding this concept is not asking too much of students; it is asking students to respect basic human rights. The reality of the matter is that men commit 99 percent of rapes.
Rather than argue over the difference between tipsy and too drunk to consent (because again if there is any uncertainty the answer is always to not have sex), it is time we shift focus to the root of the problem: men’s violence.
In our society, men are praised for being strong, dominant and powerful but are scorned if they in any way appear weak or feminine. To maintain their image, men are taught that violence is the answer to life’s problems, which normalizes men’s aggression.
If we are to end this epidemic of sexual assault, we must acknowledge and discuss men’s violence, explore alternative definitions of masculinity and teach men not to rape.
Addie Humphrey
Sophomore
Undecided
