Column trivialized sexual assult

The headline of Joost Bosland’s Oct. 20 column, “Raping grannies with broomsticks,” outraged and saddened us. We are Sexual Harassment and Rape Prevention peer educators: Students working to promote dialogue around issues of sexual assault and rape at Duke and at-large and to reduce the risk of rape for fellow students.

The first articles that find their way into The Chronicle after high profile rapes have historically undertaken a very critical view of “the administration” and the way it is not adequately protecting us. There is talk of increased security and more blue lights. Unfortunately, what many Duke students fail to realize is that the enemy is not “the administration” for failing to protect us.

The real enemies are the men who continue perpetrating the rapes. By promoting language like Bosland and The Chronicle have done, however, we serve as our own worst enemy. We passively contribute to the rape culture at Duke. We do this by finding humor in rape or by using it as a way to catch readers’ attention. We do this by failing to recognize how a headline like this disrespects survivors, their trauma and the tremendous courage, strength and resilience required to heal.

The silence that more than half of all survivors carry is painful and burdensome. The silence exists because we, the community, fail at creating a supportive environment where survivors feel safe telling their stories. This is not a question of blue lights and the administration. This is a question of the entire student body, faculty and staff working to promote a Duke community that does not question what a person was wearing or remain silent when another cavalierly uses the term “rape” as Bosland has. To end sexual violence, we must undertake the effort of altering the way we culturally think and speak about violence.

Our response to Bosland’s column does not stem entirely from our disappointment. We take this time to emphasize: There is something each one of us can do to change the rape culture: Do not trivialize sexual violence by joking about it and don’t tolerate those who do.

Liz Hahn

Trinity ’06