Are we safe at Notre Dame?
John Litle
Frankly Obnoxious
Are we safe on this campus?
I've never really asked myself this question in the past. I've always felt safe walking to and from class, I don't lock my door most of the time and I even feel safe walking around the lake or to Saint Mary's alone late at night. Maybe it is just because I am a male (insert feminist rage here), or maybe it is because no matter where I go I get the feeling that the administration is watching me. Had I asked myself this question a week ago my answer would have been unequivocally, "Yes I am safe on this campus."
Sadly, since then my whole idea of safety has been turned upside down. On the surface, yes, Notre Dame is very safe. But below this image there is a dark monster lurking. No one wants to talk about it, understandably, but it's there. I am referring to date and acquaintance rape. I used to imagine Notre Dame as one of the most rape-proof campuses in the country. I have since changed my mind. Rather, Notre Dame has an abundance of rape; it's just that no one reports it because women are made to believe it is their fault. You see, there is some sort of attitude that if someone is drunk, they don't deserve respect and common human dignity. This appalls me.
A lot of times the phrase "taking advantage of" replaces the correct term "raping" when referring to these instances. There is some sort of built-in aversion to using the term rape at this "perfect" place. Taking advantage of a girl who is incapable of giving consent while you are aware of her inability to consent is rape — even if you've been drinking. The scum who would do this make me sick. Sex is not an "opt-out" activity. The inability to say "no" does not mean `yes."
How can I feel safe, even as a guy, on a campus where there are individuals willing to cause a lifetime of hurt and pain for another person for one night of personal physical gratification? The concept, until recently, just never took hold with me. There are people like this, and chances are you've met, talked to or had a class with them. That's frightening to me, and I imagine it must be more frightening for a woman.
The worst part of the crime just may be the aftermath. In the aftermath of this terrible experience our "community" pressures women to take the blame for the attack. Perhaps they shouldn't have gotten that drunk, perhaps they should have been more careful, perhaps they did something to deserve it.
I can't believe this attitude. While I agree that a man accused must be given a fair shake, here the woman, the victim, endures more scrutiny than the alleged perpetrator. This crime is not a woman's fault. Getting drunk and passing out does not and will never constitute consent for sex. Men who prey on women in this state are rapists. There just isn't any question about it. The betrayal of the women by our community is almost as bad as the crime itself.
The whole thing makes me physically ill and has kept me up nights over the past week. Our campus needs desperately to address this issue but not through the abysmal methods of the past. No yellow journalism, tabloid-style news coverage and not a 20 minute meeting at the beginning of freshman year. There is an immediate need for updated and relevant information on this campus.
Case in point, a few weeks ago the issue of date rape drugs was brought up in The Observer. Who here knows anything about these drugs and their effects on victims? I don't, and I don't even know where to go to find out. Should not someone at this University direct some energy towards informing us? Instead of sweeping it under the carpet, a mature, informed discussion must ensue to help lessen the chance that this should ever happen again.
John Litle is a junior MIS major. He can be contacted at jlitle@nd.edu. His column appears every other Tuesday.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
All Viewpoint Stories for Tuesday, October 9, 2001
