DePauw Men: It's Time To Address Sexual Assault
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

DePauw Men: It's Time To Address Sexual Assault

We can't allow complacency any longer.

45
DePauw Men: It's Time To Address Sexual Assault
Wystan / Flickr

This week at DePauw University, Code TEAL is hosting a large-scale panel discussion focused on sexual assault and will be featuring members of the Interfraternity Council. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Code TEAL, we are a student-led organization that raises awareness of sexual assault on campus, promotes survivor advocacy, and encourages discussion on this issues (this may help explain why most of my articles cover these subjects). But let us return back to the subject of the panel discussion; this event is geared toward college men. Not every house has mandated that each member attend, and this fact leaves me with conflicting feelings. While I'm glad that most people aren't being forced or incentivized to go to our event, I do worry about the ones who will choose to stay home because they don't think this is an event they should attend. And to be honest, I don't know what people will do.

The last time Code TEAL hosted a major talk focused on men's role in sexual assault, we had one fraternity in attendance, despite numerous invitations to all houses, and I certainly wasn't the only one who expressed frustration at the apparent disregard to the issue of campus rape (the link to this story is here). I remember what most of the defensive arguments stated:

"But Christina, you can't put this all on men. A lot of us aren't even the rapists."

"Stop blaming this whole issue on men."

"Well, we had homework."

Oh, we are well aware that most men aren't rapists and offenders. But according to the National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence, approximately 99% of perpetrators in single-victim incidents are male, which seems to indicate that this is a male-dominated crime. Even if you as a male are not the one violating others, you stand as a role model for other males. As for the homework excuse, I would have liked to believe that you would take an hour out of your schedule to come listen to how you can help rid our campus of a legitimately serious issue. But, the choice was still yours.

As was stated by one of DePauw's professors, "What kinds of actions were [men] taking to address the problem of sexual assault? Were they organizing demonstrations, sit ins, and other events on campus against sexual violence that I wasn’t aware of?...Or is sexual assault so prevalent in our culture that students are complacent, and sexual assault is just background noise that takes a back seat to other problems?" I am challenging all DePauw men to attend the Code TEAL panel discussion this week. We can no longer allow complacency with regards to something so detrimental and severe as sexual assault.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
the beatles
Wikipedia Commons

For as long as I can remember, I have been listening to The Beatles. Every year, my mom would appropriately blast “Birthday” on anyone’s birthday. I knew all of the words to “Back In The U.S.S.R” by the time I was 5 (Even though I had no idea what or where the U.S.S.R was). I grew up with John, Paul, George, and Ringo instead Justin, JC, Joey, Chris and Lance (I had to google N*SYNC to remember their names). The highlight of my short life was Paul McCartney in concert twice. I’m not someone to “fangirl” but those days I fangirled hard. The music of The Beatles has gotten me through everything. Their songs have brought me more joy, peace, and comfort. I can listen to them in any situation and find what I need. Here are the best lyrics from The Beatles for every and any occasion.

Keep Reading...Show less
Being Invisible The Best Super Power

The best superpower ever? Being invisible of course. Imagine just being able to go from seen to unseen on a dime. Who wouldn't want to have the opportunity to be invisible? Superman and Batman have nothing on being invisible with their superhero abilities. Here are some things that you could do while being invisible, because being invisible can benefit your social life too.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

19 Lessons I'll Never Forget from Growing Up In a Small Town

There have been many lessons learned.

71154
houses under green sky
Photo by Alev Takil on Unsplash

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Keep Reading...Show less
​a woman sitting at a table having a coffee
nappy.co

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

133050
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments