Last week, members of the men's lacrosse team were asked to submit to DNA tests to determine whether any of them had been involved in the rape of a woman at a party March 13 at a residence shared by three members of the team. I happened to be at the Duke Women's Center the day the team members were called in by police, so I helped field questions from reporters, some of whom also brought up the recent rape and murder of an NYU graduate student.
These assaults were violent-the victim at the recent Duke party was allegedly raped, sodomized, beaten and strangled by three men, and the NYU grad student who was raped had been bound, her hair hacked off, her mouth stuffed with a sock, and her face covered with strips of packing tape. These are awful events, and can happen to any woman, but it's also important to remember that most rapes are not so obvious and never make the news the way that these have.
This is Sexual Assault Prevention Week at Duke and a good time to discuss the dangers that women more often face at universities. A surprisingly large percentage of women are sexually assaulted in college, and most of these incidences are never reported. Rapes that occur on a college campus often involve two people who know each other. Frequently, one or both are under the influence of alcohol or other drugs.
I think we grossly underestimate the number of women affected by such events. I should know-it's happened to women very close to me. I'd guess that by the end of their time in college, very few women don't have several stories to tell of sexual assault experienced by themselves or their friends.
It happens easily enough, especially to freshmen, who may be exposed to opportunities to drink for the first time. This is also the time when college students are under the most pressure to fit in, and the social pressure to drink at parties can be intimidating.
An inducement to "lie down for awhile" or an offer of an escort home can sometimes lead to more than a woman expects. When drunk, it's difficult to walk away or have the judgement to react appropriately to unwanted attention.
Victims of such assaults often feel hesitant to call what happens rape. She chose to drink, and she walked home with him, so it's her fault, right? Many struggle with that for years afterward. There is guilt and shame associated with these assaults that women rarely want to share.
Sexual Assault Prevention Week is about preventing what has happened to so many women from occurring again. This is especially appropriate at Duke, which seems to have an atmosphere conducive to such problems.
Like most in the Duke community, I hear about the excessive drinking that goes on at parties. I read about the "hook-up culture" and the objectification of women (remember the baby oil wrestling?). I see more young people than ever drink too much. The "work hard, play hard" mentality is rampant here at Duke.
There are real dangers in that kind of behavior. As I mentioned, I think the number of times that this turns into assault on a college campus is underestimated. The women who experience it often don't talk about it, but I've still heard similar stories from too many friends.
This week, I hope you attend some of the events associated with Sexual Assault Prevention Week. Talk to friends or a counselor if you or someone you know has experienced something similar. You can reach Sexual Assault Support Services at the Women's Center at 684-3897. Stand up to behavior or comments that are not appropriate. Most importantly, be aware of what can happen when you do drink too much or accept a drink from someone you don't know well. If you say no, or if you don't have the capacity to say yes, it's sexual assault, even if he's drunk too. Rape can happen to anyone, and drinking less won't prevent every case, but being aware of the consequences of giving up your control can help. Be safe.
Heather Dean is a graduate student in neurobiology. Her column normally runs every other Wednesday.
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