Tufts making strides

Rape can happen despite any amount of empowerment, defense training and police protection. Tufts University has recognized that sad fact and founded a program which seeks to provide another layer of help for rape victims. Working off a federal grant, the program will allow undergraduates to undergo training for state certification to be rape counselors.

In this unfortunate situation the most effective emotional help can come only after a crime has been committed, but indeed the entire phenomenon of rape is a tragedy. Though self-defense courses such as RAD provide a large measure of protection against violent attack, even some of these programs instruct women to submit when threatened with serious assault or with a weapon. Sensitive counseling services are therefore needed to help victims deal with violations against themselves, at least until our culture evolves a zero-tolerance universal attitude against rape.

The suggestion made by the National Advisory Council on Violence Against Women to “institutionalize” universitys’ responses to violence goes beyond the training of rape counselors. By forming policies which state clearly what is and what is not acceptable behavior, universities can in essence dictate the morals of society. If universities can use an administrative statement to break the silence surrounding this act of violence against 1.5 million women and over 830,000 men each year, perhaps potential rapists will reconsider taking someone’s sense of security from them. Directing education to correct misconceptions and immoral behavior is hopefully the way to end rape.

Before that more perfect society is found, however, Tufts and other institutions will provide a way for the victims of rape to maintain control over their life. Hopefully, Boston University may someday offer a similar opportunity to help the victims of sexual assault.