Over spring term, we saw an increase in awareness and dialogue on campus concerning sexual assault. Many students made an effort to understand sexual assault and its pervasiveness on our campus and, more importantly, a significant number of students chose to come forward and share their own experiences, further informing the College of the severity of the issue. It is crucial that we analyze what spurred this increased interest in combatting sexual assault and understand the ways in which we can further this goal.
Multiple incidents took place last term that can be attributed to this increase in interest. First, there was the Dimensions protest, which provoked unparalleled outrage in many of my peers. Students were determined to protect a hallowed Dartmouth tradition, yet permitted a wave of "Dartmouth nationalism" to obscure the gravity of the issues that the protesters voiced: namely sexism, racism, homophobia and even the pitfalls of capitalism. Many declared that the protest was only successful in provoking a violent backlash from the student body. Many were also quick to dismiss the effectiveness of the day upon which teach-ins replaced regularly held classes. I maintain that this protest educated the student body: all students, whether indifferent to the protesters' cause or not, were made aware of the ever-important issues that Dartmouth currently faces.
A female student told me that she didn't realize that sexism was a "thing" on campus because she had never before encountered it. The fact that she could have been so blind alarmed me, but it was nice to see that she was actually considering the issue and attempting to grasp at its severity. The truth is that sexual assault happens here all the time. While our society tends to think about it as an overtly violent act perpetrated by people of absolute cruelty, it's much more complicated than that.
Sexual assault itself is difficult to define in a succinct manner. The Department of Justice defines rape as "forced sexual intercourse" and sexual assault in general as "unwanted sexual contact." Yet these descriptions tell us little about how sexual assault happens. Of course, it can be an overtly violent act. But it is often, especially on this campus, instigated by the consumption of alcohol. The judgment of a perpetrator may be impaired (though that is no excuse) and a victim may be rendered powerless to adequately defend him- or herself. After all, sexual assault often occurs when a person's capacity to consent is diminished and no agreement exists between them to engage in sexual activity.
A perpetrator of sexual assault can be just about anybody, male or female, friend or stranger. We look at our peers, some of who are our best friends, and desperately want to see them as good people incapable of such brutality. Yet that does not excuse the fact that when someone is proven guilty, that guilt should be acknowledged. Too many times have I heard something like "he's a great guy, but he's weird with girls." Perpetrators cannot be tolerated, no matter how "nice" they seem to be on the surface.
It is important to understand the nuances of what it means to be a victim of sexual assault. First, no victim is "asking to be raped," regardless of their sexuality, appearance, level of intoxication, etc. Furthermore, our understanding of "victims" as, well, "victims" should not drastically change the way we view them. There is no denying that sexual assault is a tragic incident, but victims should not be perceived as weak, irreparable and defiled people, male or female. It is of course understandable as to why they might feel this way, but it is our duty as their peers to empower the victims, either uplifting them personally with our support or speaking out against the recurring tragedy of sexual assault at Dartmouth.
I strongly encourage victims, when ready, to report their sexual assault to either the College despite the flaws in the Committee on Standards or to the police. Finally, I implore friends and peers of perpetrators of sexual assault to hold them accountable for their actions and to continue to heighten campus' awareness of the problems that Dartmouth still needs to get a better hold on.
