The Daily Free Press asked what students thought about the open meetings held by the BU Hockey task force.
Here’s what some of them said.
ZARAH SCHWARTZ: “I think it’s annoying we have a so-called ‘rape culture’ here just because two incidents happened.” – CAS Sophomore
ALEX YEDID: “I’m glad BU has shown initiative to not keep secrets from its students because we deserve to know the truth about what’s going on.”- COM Freshman
MARIA MARTINOLICH: “I’m glad the public is able to give their input and opinion because it’s an important issue.”-COM Sophomore
CLAIRE WEGGEMAN: “The task force isn’t necessary. I think the open meeting is just drawing more bad publicity to BU.” -CGS Sophomore
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@Zarah
To clarify: the talk about rape culture has always been around and isn’t a product of the recent incidents. Rather, the incidents are a product of rape culture, which is a global issue rather than something recent and unique to BU.
@Claire
The prevalence of sexual assault is independent of publicity surrounding these issues. It is necessary to have conversations about sexual assault because it does happen, and it affects everyone. The better option, as opposed to not talking about these issues, is to spark conversation and action in response to sexual assault as means to preventing it.
– John Burns (ENG ’15)
I agree but I think there is a misunderstanding all over campus then. I keep hearing that we have a “rape culture” but I agree very much that it is a more global issue rather than a specific thing on campus.
I agree with Zarah. Although rape is an important global concern, just because two incidents happened in a school of thousands does not mean there is a ‘rape-culture’ at BU.
I agree that two sexual assault cases don’t define rape culture at BU, but the two hockey player assaults, the Mugar assault, the “peeping tom” incidents, the Esplanade assaults, and the publicity surrounding these incidents reflect that sexual assault does happen to BU students and is perpetrated by some BU students. The important discussions to have are about the response to these incidents in student papers, in external media, and between students like ourselves and others that we all hear each day.
It’s important to realize the scope of these issues. Rape culture doesn’t exist *because* of sexual assault; rather, the perpetrators of assault are enabled *by* rape culture. Rape culture isn’t something that just comes and goes. It describes the product of social constructs, rape myths, misinformation, ignorance, and denial that disempower the targets of sexual assault and excuse the actions of rapists. I see and hear half a hundred examples every day.
If rape is a global issue, then it is also a BU issue. If rape culture exists everywhere, then it exists at BU. I don’t like these facts, and I don’t like that rape culture exists at BU. Most people don’t want rape culture on their campus, but it is necessary to acknowledge these issues if we are ever to overcome them. The bad publicity is frightening, yes, but I don’t think it has exaggerated the presence of rape or the fear and discomfort people feel each day.
Rape happens and it’s terrifying, but it is not inevitable or unpreventable. We can make things better for the community and ourselves, but we must first acknowledge the existence of rape culture. We can make rapists accountable. We can make ourselves accountable for the things we promote with our ideas, words, and actions. We can change this.