Dear President Sullivan,
We met briefly the other day in the Amphitheater. I was inspired by your words about this wonderful university and the bright futures that lay ahead for all of us fourth years. Something kept nagging at me, though, as I listened to you speak. I couldn’t help but worry that the futures of many current students may not be so bright if we do not address a fundamental issue that is slowly eating away at our community of trust.
Last year, a close friend of mine was raped by a fellow student. She bravely decided to take action through channels offered by the University, but the University process proved fruitless and, in fact, subjected her to the same kind of humiliation and indignity that she had suffered only a short time before at the hands of her rapist. Her case is only one example of the profound injustices that many rape and sexual assault victims face here at the University because their school has failed to protect and support them.
For the past four years, I have been proud to call the University my home. Everyone seemed to abide by the cherished and revered honor code that has been a fundamental part of this institution for more than 170 years. As you are well aware, University students are expected not to lie, cheat or steal. The life of a Wahoo is one based on integrity. However, as I have discovered that more and more of my friends and peers have been sexually assaulted or raped during their time here, I find it difficult to continue believing in the strength of the system. My survivor friends have been cheated of their right to live productive lives and pursue their education without the fear that they will run into their attackers on Grounds. Their attackers have stolen their happiness, their dignity and their right to say “no.” Most importantly, my friends have been lied to about the true robustness of the honor system.
What does it mean when numerous students have been expelled for plagiarism or cheating in the past 10 years, but not a single person has been expelled for raping or sexually assaulting a fellow student? If we believe that, as a Department of Justice study claimed, “Over the course of a college career…the percentage of completed or attempted rape victimization among women in higher educational institutions might climb to between one-fifth and one-quarter,” would this not mean that as many as several hundred University students may be affected each year? I find it extremely difficult to understand why plagiarism is considered an affront to our community of trust, but committing rape — which could affect any one of the more than 14,000 students here — is not seen as such a violation. The truth is, rape and sexual assault unequivocally represent a much greater threat to our school. To suggest otherwise is not only inconceivable, but also betrays an unconscionable insensitivity to all students at this institution.
One of the University’s greatest challenges has been overcoming the victim-blaming mindset. It’s an issue that affects our society as a whole, and a way of thinking that I know the University is capable of rising above. Too many survivors have feared speaking out and reporting their rapes and assaults for fear that they will ruin the lives of their attackers. Or, they don’t report simply because they already know the system here is broken — they will be asked what they were wearing, how much they had to drink, whether they said “no” forcefully enough, what medications they’re on or even if they have made sexual or romantic advances toward their attacker in the past. There’s no doubt that the University has some of the brightest minds around, but when it comes to rape, we still have a lot to learn.
For one, rape is rape. Rape cannot be written off as mildly non-consensual or just “bad sex.” Rape is still rape even if the victim is drunk and cannot give consent. No one ever expects or asks to be raped. By definition, rape is any unwanted, forcible act of sexual intercourse on an individual when there is expressly no consent given. To the best of my knowledge, not a single definition includes anything about what kind of clothing the victim was wearing or what their blood alcohol content was. Consent is pretty black and white. Either it’s given or it’s not. If survivors are coming forward with their stories, and are willing to undergo a rape kit, retell the intricate details of their attacks many times over, and even possibly confront their attackers in university proceedings, chances are they are not lying about it. Yet time and again, University officials have reinforced the victim-blaming culture by doubting victims who come forward and shifting the responsibility to the victims.
Everyone has the right to an education, but attending the University of Virginia is a privilege. Perpetrators of sexual assault and rape should not be allowed to continue enjoying this privilege. I think it’s safe to assume that if our founder Thomas Jefferson were alive today, he would certainly be disappointed by the extent to which this issue has threatened to unravel the very fabric of this university. Countless victims have been blatantly betrayed by the place they call home. This is certainly not in line with Jefferson’s founding ideals for this great institution.
As the survivors who recently spoke at Take Back the Night put it so well, rape is not just about the statistics or the figures. There are real human lives and stories behind each incident. But these are not the lives of strangers. These are the lives of our classmates, our friends, our students — our brothers and sisters in this community of trust. As long as sexual assaults and rapes continue to occur at this university, our community of trust continues to be threatened. This is why I am urging you, President Sullivan, to take immediate and forceful action on this issue. Some small steps have been taken, but as the leader of this university, you are in a prime position to make drastic and desperately needed changes to the way the University deals with rape and sexual assault.
Though I will be graduating in May, I want to know that future generations of Wahoos won’t have to go through the same kinds of things my friends have gone through. Last week you told a group of fourth years, including myself, that we will always be part of this university. Even though our last day is May 19, we will always be students of the University of Virginia and will always be welcomed back to this institution. When I come back in five, 10 or even 15 years, I want to be able to say that the University has become a trendsetter in this regard. I know the University can change and I want to be proud of my school once again. I want my school to do the right and only thing there is to do: take a stand against this injustice. I hope that with your help, we can make this happen.
Sincerely,
Melanie Snail
Melanie Snail is a fourth-year College student.
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