TO THE EDITOR:
One in five women will experience some form of sexual assault during their four years at university. This kind of epidemic violence has to be fought with more than blue lights and police body cameras.
Ninety-eight percent of rapes are committed by men, and men in fraternities are three times more likely to commit sexual assault than non-fraternity members. Isn’t it time we find solutions that teach men not to commit sexual violence rather than teach women how to protect themselves? We should be educating men about sexism and rape culture — not telling women to walk only in well-lit spaces. The largest percent of rapes does not occur among strangers; we should worry more about what goes on at parties, on dates and in relationships.
One way to establish true prevention rather than risk reduction would be to instate mandatory anti-sexism workshops for all students once a year, for all four years. These workshops would educate students about sexism, rape culture and masculinity, the enabling conditions for sexual assault.
Recent actions, like the screening of “The Hunting Ground” and the Nov. 19 Take Back the Night march have once again brought the issue of male-pattern violence to our attention. It is time we do something about it.
Amanda Kubic
Senior
Comparative Literature and Classics
