One in four college women have been sexually assaulted or have experienced attempted rape, according to a 2010 Department of Justice study. Women between the ages of 16 and 24 will experience sexual violence at a rate that is four times higher than the rate for all women. And approximately 32 percent of college students are victims of dating violence.
Based on these statistics, we all know a survivor of sexual violence: a classmate in one of our lectures, a sister in our sorority, or a close friend. Yet the majority of college students who are raped never tell anyone and suffer in silence. The Department of Justice’s study found that college students often keep quiet because they blame themselves for what happened. Victim blaming is perpetuated by “rape culture” on college campuses. “Rape culture” manifests itself in a number of ways. It’s a culture that questions what a girl was wearing or how drunk she was in response to her story. It’s a culture that questions a woman’s experiences by asking if she was having post-sex regret, rather than acknowledging the possibility of violence. It’s a culture that doesn’t want to “ruin” a man’s life over one “mistake.” Instead of holding perpetrators accountable, the focus is on what victims could have done differently to prevent the assault.
While college students are at a greater risk of sexual assault than women in general, there is a culture of silence when it comes to addressing the issue of sexual violence. More importantly, most assault cases that are reported do not result in prosecutions or convictions. Take Back the Night, an annual program at U.Va., hopes to end the silence surrounding dating violence and sexual violence at our University. By providing an opportunity for survivors to speak out again sexual violence, the week of events aim to provide comfort and empowerment for survivors, their friends, and our community at large.
One in four is not just a statistic. It is our fellow peers who experience real violence. At a University where we pride ourselves on a community of trust, there should be no incidents of sexual violence, and survivors should not have to suffer in silence. Thursday, there will be a rally held at Lambeth Field, followed by a march and a candlelight vigil in the Amphitheatre.
Come out to support survivors of sexual violence as they voice their experiences and affirm their transition from victim to survivor.
For information on the week of events, visit takebackthenightatuva.blogspot.com.
Saha Khaterzai is a first-year master’s student in the Batten School and the chair of the Sexual Assault Leadership Council.
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