Petula Dvorak’s recent column in the Washington Post is a well-written condemnation of the sexism and rape culture that plagues American college campuses, specifically within the fraternity system.
As a member of a fraternity since my freshman year here at The Ohio State University, I completely agree with Dvorak’s assertion that sexual assault on college campuses and the culture that promotes it is an extremely serious problem that must be addressed. According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, it is estimated that between 20 percent and 25 percent of women will be victims of sexual assault during their time in college. Something like nine in ten of those women will know their attacker before the assault. Many of these attacks will go unreported, and many of those that are reported will go unprosecuted.
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I am not at all qualified to offer a solution to these horrific statistics. I am not an expert on criminal behavior, nor is it my prerogative -- as a man -- to speak on sexual assault and rape culture insofar as they impact women.
Dvorak’s column was an unapologetic lambasting of rape culture, and I hope that that is something we can all agree on. She goes beyond that, however, to advocate for the “dismantlement” of the fraternity system, citing the countless reports of binge drinking, hazing, and sexual assault that have stained many Greek organizations.
It would be foolish and outright dangerous to turn a blind eye to these issues. And it would be equally self-deluding for me to argue that there isn’t a pattern linking many fraternities to these problems.
But it is disheartening to see a small fraction of fraternity chapters who have committed inexcusable crimes taken as representative of thousands of chapters and hundreds of thousands of men. The overwhelming majority of active fraternity men and alumni have never committed sexual assault, and the overwhelming majority of chapters actively work to contribute to their campus community in a positive way.
Here at Ohio State, my chapter and all other IFC fraternities are required to take part in diversity education and sexual assault awareness programs. In addition, many of us have sought to go beyond that and play an active role in combatting rape culture through the “It’s On Us” campaign, as well as a number of other activist roles.
I recognize that those words ring hollow when confronted with the sheer weight of statistics. It’s all too easy for me to type up these defenses and justifications as if they should mean something to victims of sexual assault. On my campus alone, each week seems to bring another report of a young woman being attacked – and God only knows how many such assaults go unreported. As I wrote before, I am by no means qualified to speak on how these issues should be addressed. I can only hope that the words I choose do not come across as insensitive, that is the furthest thing from my intention.
Personally, I believe that the fraternity system can be a powerful force for good. And working to combat rape culture and sexism is a goal we should all strive for. But by their very nature, our organizations comprised exclusively of men. The majority of us have no background in discussing these issues beyond the occasional university-required seminar.
As fraternity members, we cannot truly address the twin plagues of sexism and rape culture unless we engage in an open and honest dialogue. Not just within our own organizations, but with those who are truly educated on these issues. Virtually every American university has at least one women’s rights or feminist organization – reach out to them, sincerely ask them what your chapter can do to help the fight against sexual assault. Truly commit your energies towards working with these organizations, rather than remaining at odds as so often seems to be the case.
We all have women in our lives: mothers, sisters, aunts, girlfriends; rape culture and sexism impact us all in some manner. Our houses were all founded on the principles of improving ourselves as men and working to shape the world around us. If we truly want to live up to those ideals, if we truly want to prove that the fraternity system is a positive institution, then we must devote ourselves wholeheartedly to ending sexual violence.
