Response to "The R-word"

Over the past few years, the amount of humor in the media drawn from extremely traumatic experiences such as rape and sexual assault has skyrocketed. It is shocking and disappointing that a writer for The Chronicle at Duke University has resorted to the same juvenile and insensitive techniques to entertain readers.

The March 25 Monday, Monday column (“The R-word”) probably meant to satirically highlight some continual issues on campus. The manner in which this attempt was executed, however, was misguided, unclear and unprofessional. For instance, calling the 16 percent of freshman women who are sexually assaulted during the first six weeks of Duke “freshmeat” insults members of the Duke University community who must be supported and protected by the student body. There are absolutely no circumstances in which finding humor in rape is possible, let alone appropriate to publish in a well-respected University newspaper. Even though the piece does indirectly draw attention to some of the more outlandish belief systems regarding rape on campus, these grave issues nevertheless deserve to only be emphasized in a direct, sensitive and non-sarcastic manner.

Furthermore, “The R-word” undermines the integrity of Duke University and the measures it has taken in the past few years to protect female students against these serious issues they face. This piece is especially inappropriate in light of the high traffic of talented potential students and their parents who are visiting in these upcoming weeks who may not understand the satirical context of “Monday, Monday.” Brilliant female students should not be deterred from this incredible University because of Duke’s ingrained reputation, reaffirmed by this article, as a risky place to study. The University should welcome new women with a firm promise that this community will actively work to ensure their safety.

The outrage at the Steubenville rape news coverage, the backlash against Seth McFarlane’s insensitive and sexist comments at the Oscars and the repercussions against Daniel Tosh on Tosh.0 as a result of rape jokes give a clear message to media outlets: People are angered by the light-hearted manner in which rape and sexual assault are being addressed. Jokes regarding rape, even though they are “just jokes,” are not funny. They will never be funny. Don’t publish them.

Elizabeth Clark, Trinity ’13

President, Baldwin Scholars