Over the past week, I’ve kept my eye out for this entitlement, and not just in the form and context of assault either. I’ve witnessed it in classrooms, at the bar and… honestly everywhere. I never thought I would be “that kid” or, perhaps more pejoratively though more accurately in my mind, “that girl.” The hypocritical elite. The college call-out girl. The hypocritically critical New Jersey sorority girl, calling out elitism.
“Our Bodies, Their Laws,” a Feminist, Gender and Sexuality Studies Program, had its final installment where they opened up the floor for discussion on recent reports of campus sexual assault and date-rape drugs.
Following the release of a police report citing incidences of drugging and possible sexual assault at frat houses associated with Cornell University, Cornell IFC has temporarily suspended all frat-affiliated events.
Looking back on them now, the events of the night and the order in which they occurred are blurry to say the least — many parts stored in my memory now only as blank segments of emotional turmoil with physical pain periodically piercing through. But here’s some of what I do remember.
Warning: The following content contains sensitive material about sexual assault. Students discussed in this article have been given pseudonyms to protect their identities. A week ago, I found out, during a devastatingly casual conversation, that a charming, personable man I know and liked on campus had assaulted a dear friend of mine when we were freshmen. The details of their encounter are not necessary for this article, but suffice to say the story was every bit as horrible and heartbreaking as that of Chanel Miller’s, as Erica Kinsman’s, as every story of rape or sexual assault that I’m sure you’ve read of or heard about.
This man was well-known as a “good guy” — sure, maybe a little insensitive, maybe casually arrogant with the privilege that comes from being a tall, handsome white dude, but inherently a good person. I’d heard about his “creepy” behavior from girls he’d ghosted and one-night-stood over the years, and always assumed that their words were reflections of his immaturity. But the details of this particular incident brought me clarity.
A pair of Columbia University professors will speak Oct. 1 at 4:30 p.m., as a part of their nationwide book tour. “We hope that the students will feel seen in this and be given tools to think about their own intimate lives,” said Columbia Prof. Shamus Khan, sociology.
The Title IX office responds to newest sexual assault data from the New York State Department of Education — Cornell was deemed the educational institution with the highest number of incidents in 2018.
“Overall, it’s increased reporting from everyone on campus,” Cornell University Police Chief David Honan told The Sun. Honan attributed some of the uptick in reporting numbers to increased data from campus security authorities, who are obligated to inform CUPD when violations or crimes occur.
