Introduction
Campus rape is a severe problem that is taboo in modern society. Even though there is no explicit ban on discussing the topic of rape, the victims rarely speak out, which makes it difficult to estimate the actual number of people who suffered from campus rape. The current paper aims to discuss the theme of campus rape among students and educators because both categories of people are involved in this situation. Campus rape is more common than reported, and the punishments do not always reflect the severity of the crime, mainly when the rapists belong to affluent families. There is an ethical problem concerning pursuing justice because victims do not agree to report campus rape, and not all abusers are punished for their actions. Campus rape is the problem at the intersection of social class and gender, and it requires the transformation of the cultural foundations of life on campus to make the educational institution a safe place.
Discussion
The campus is tailored to provide a favorable environment for students to achieve better grades and develop their personalities. Progress is the ultimate aim of studying in an educational institution, while the risk of campus rape does not allow students to concentrate on learning. Unfortunately, rape has taken over on most campuses, an issue that needs addressing. According to McCabe (2020), a typical rape is perpetrated by individuals known to the victimized person, mostly away from campus premises. However, the situation has changed over the years since students have stopped attending dates and instead participate in campus events and hookup cultures, which have become the context of many rape cases. This example shows an insignificant difference between the historical context of campus rape and the modern-day one. In both variants, campus rape is not rare, and students are often sexually assaulted on the territory of their educational institution.
There are stereotypes that campus rape does not happen in prestigious universities, and low-income schools have higher rates of sexual assaults. Though, it is not entirely true because the victims of campus rape study in different schools. Vulnerable groups in society have higher risks of becoming victims of campus rape. For instance, McCabe (2020) affirms that 0,2 to 0,25 of campus ladies are at risk of sexual assaults. Students who do not have family support are also at risk due to their low status in the student hierarchy and belonging to the poorer class (McCabe, 2020). Roebuck & Murty (2016) suggest that rape cases on campuses have become a public health issue due to their high prevalence and limited attention given to the victims. 22% of students reported sexual assault at least once since they enrolled in the institution (Roebuck & Murty, 2016). However, female victims experience a higher prevalence of assaults, followed by gender non-conforming students. Moreover, abusers use techniques like drugging their victims, physical force, and verbal coercion (Roebuck & Murty, 2016). Consequently, campus management should pay more attention to the vulnerable populations on the campus to prevent rape cases.
Most cases of campus rape are kept secret, and sexual abusers do not receive adequate punishment for their actions. These crimes require a unified adverse reaction from the dean, faculty, and peers to achieve positive changes. When students understand that their future will be ruined if they decide to rape someone, they might not break the law. Johnson & Taylor Jr. (2018) suggest that prominent politicians have teamed up over the years to portray higher learning institutions in the US as filled with criminal activity. However, despite their claims and widespread acceptance, evidence suggests that sexual assault on female victims is largely ignored and unacknowledged by professors, student leaders, and higher learning institutions. Thus, public discussion of rape on campus is not sufficient without effective sexual assault regulations and policies that serve their intended purpose.
The absence of punishment for campus rape is synonymous with supporting negative behaviors. Kulbaga & Spencer (2019) address an issue posted in a student newspaper that tweeted a picture of a congratulation letter to all admitted students. The letter included contradicting information about freedom of inquiry and expression. According to Kulbaga & Spencer (2019), the letter’s tone indicated that the dean enjoyed scandals surrounding education. However, it was not intended to suggest that freedom supposed the right to assault and harass other students. These contradicting information sources on campuses give students negative thoughts, which may lead to issues such as sexual assaults. Thus, freedom of expression should not mean the freedom to assault, but few students take advantage of such contradicting information to enjoy themselves while hurting others. Therefore, deans and school management should pay more attention to articulating school policies using the appropriate words.
Students need support to eliminate or minimize the risks of campus rape. A social advocacy group like “The night watch” might help solve the problem of sexual assault on campus. It has teams that will walk lone people to and from different places on campus. They also have designated drivers to help those who party too much and need a lift. This group will also accompany any person who needs to seek medical services after an attack. This group also supplies sexual protection as well as other contraceptive options. This group also has a social media presence and educated the students on the realities of rapes on campus.
Social activism is one of the ways to oppose campus rape and attract public attention to this problem. According to Germain (2016), at North Carolina University, campus students marched chanting ‘one in four, no more.’ Many students supported this chanting since it involved what they thought was complacency among campus administrators concerning sexual assault allegations of their colleagues. Germain (2016) argues that advocates and students developed collective awareness based on sexual violence on several campuses a few years ago. The US Senate provides a report on how higher learning institutions should respond to sexual assaults, which shows that this topic is discussed on the highest political level. It shows that the problem of campus rape is critical, and it requires the cooperation of people on all levels of the society, starting from the student community and faculty and ending with the government.
Conclusion
Students from vulnerable populations, especially females and low-income families that do not support them, often become victims of campus rape. It is the responsibility of the campus administration to provide students with safe conditions of life without risks of sexual assault. It is possible to solve this issue using the holistic approach that supposes the cooperation of students, educators, campus administration, and state officials that will punish those who are accused of campus rape.
References
Germain, L. J. (2016). Campus sexual assault: College women respond. JHU Press.
Johnson, K. C., & Taylor Jr, S. (2018). The campus rape frenzy: The attack on due process at America’s universities. Encounter Books.
Kulbaga, T. A., & Spencer, L. G. (2019). Campuses of consent: Sexual and social justice in higher education. University of Massachusetts Press.
McCabe, M. (2020). Discipline is not prevention: Transforming the cultural foundations of campus rape culture. Journal of Moral Theology, 9(Special Issue 2), 49-71.
Roebuck, J. B., & Murty, K. S. (2016). Rape and sexual assault on college campuses: An intersection of gender and social class. Race, Gender & Class, 23(3-4), 89-108. Web.