Howard Suarez
Research Paper
Frank Percaccio
Eng 24 Fall 2014

College is a time most young adults question the norm, grow as individuals, and find themselves. Unfortunately that is not the case for many women, 1 in 5 of which will experience sexual assault. Victims don’t always report these attack, sometimes because they aren’t ready to admit it happens, sometimes because colleges are known to be stricter with plagiarists than rapists. In college, sexual assault is too often misviewed as sexual misconduct. It's time for colleges to stop worrying more about their reputation of safety than keeping their student body safe. The University of Virginia usually doesn’t have any negative light shed on it. However these past few months have shown that there was only a thin veil between its reputation and what was really happening. Since 2010 there have been 2 murders because of sexual assault on campus. Among students, there are fraternities that are known for raping their party guests. One in particular is Phi Kappa Psi, who have been accused of rapes, including the gang rape of one the murder victims according to the NY Times, for over four decades. However there has yet to be any expulsions or criminal prosecution. The NY Times quoted Nicole P. Eramo from her interview with WUVA. She said "They're not looking for... They're generally feeling quite satisfied with the fact that the person has admitted that they've done something wrong." The need for national news coverage before a college board even has a meeting about sexual assault is disgusting especially from a college that has a reputation for caring about their student body’s safety. Columbia University is an Ivy League, it has an aura of grandeur and superiority that you just don’t get with most schools. However there is one thing they have in common with most private colleges and that’s how they handle sexual assault. As a freshman in 2009 Rosie went to a freshman orientation, she was roofied and raped in the bathroom. They made her feel as if her story was less than factual and they forced her on medical leave when she told them that she was having trouble in classes. Emma Sulkowicz was raped earlier this year and after accusing her attacker there was nothing done. She started her mattress that she was raped around campus to show the burden victims carry especially when they must face their own attacker in the hallways knowing he got away with it. In an article recently published by the Huffington Post, it states that there are currently 28 open federal complaints that span over 250 pages against Columbia for their sexual assault policy or actually their lack of. 3 out of 10 sexual attackers are punished in the form of expulsion. 47% are suspended from classes. 27% however either get probation or some other minor punishment, all according to the Huffington Post. Last I checked rape is a crime punishable with jail time, however no college actually wants a criminal process so their version of prison is suspension, and if we`re lucky expulsion. I guess the best time sexually assault someone is in college huh. Colleges are looking to put the blame on their lack of punishment on the Association for Student Conduct Administration. The ASCA thinks that worst thing it can do is tell someone they can’t go to one of their schools, according to ASCA president elect Laura Bennett. When actually the worst thing you can do is further traumatize a victim by telling them there is no repercussion to a violation of their body and