Comments on: It’s Not Just A Dream: Responsible Reporting on Sexual Assault

By: Darcy

Darcy — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 03:13:15 +0000

I was sitting in my dorm, cruising my favorite feminist blogs to avoid working on a paper, when I was startled to see you mention “The Athens Messenger.” I’m an Ohio University student, and I’m extremely encouraged to see the Messenger get some props (hooray! blogging about positive things isn’t pointless!).

I had no idea it had been published–unfortunately, most students read the student paper, “The Post,” which features a columnist that regularly makes me tear my hair out for claiming that sexes are essentially different and that families fail without male parents. So I don’t know how well the message gets out. But I do think that the culture of “it’s just a joke” and “lighten up” is a great issue to target on campus, offering new, perceptive message, as opposed to the “DRINKING IS BAD AND SHAMES YOU AND THE SCHOOL AND OH YEAH DATE RAPE” message that usually fatigues university students.

At any rate, I consider myself a fairly involved feminist, but seeing this has raised all sorts of questions about my immediate school environment that I haven’t considered before–thanks for some inspiration.

By: Tracey

Tracey — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 22:06:42 +0000

It’s very heartening that this was published in a place like Athens. I don’t know about actual rates of sexual assault there, but the university in Athens is completely known throughout Ohio as a HUGE party school, so it’s incredibly important that someone is trying to spread awareness there.

By: Moody

Moody — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 14:09:59 +0000

I really like hearing good news. It’s such a shame that articles like this don’t happen more often.

By: Jen

Jen — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 02:35:24 +0000

I believe the key point here is the continuum concept. Not every behavior on the continuum is sexual assault. No one is suggesting that we throw cat-callers in jail. But we need to recognize the continuum of behaviors and attitudes that contribute to the acceptance of sexual assault in our society. If these “lesser” behaviors that constitute sexual harrassment were taken more seriously and deemed unacceptable, that could go a long way to fighting the sexism that allows rape to thrive.

By: Ran

Ran — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 02:31:45 +0000

O.K., you and I are on the same page on that one.

By: Cara

Cara — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 01:20:28 +0000

In a general sense, I don’t think that streaking would be considered sexual assault. I mean, a football field? Not unless the dude is proudly sporting an erection or waving his dick at the cheerleaders or something while he does it.

But there are a slew of other places that streaking doesn’t generally happen where I think sexual assault, or at least harassment, would be an accurate descriptor. Workplaces, schools, stores, restaurants/bars, etc. I think the key aspect with streaking on a football field is that the person is significantly removed from everyone else and the streaking is not directed at anyone. In most other settings, it would take on a very different meaning — a threatening one.

By: Ran

Ran — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 00:53:14 +0000

It’s unfortunate that all these descriptions are so vague … maybe that’s inevitable, though. Sexual assault is an “I know it when I see it” sort of thing, except it seems that most people don’t actually know it when they see it.

(Including me, perhaps: does indecency necessarily count as sexual assault, or does it have to be directed at someone? For example, would streaking be considered that? Because I don’t really see it.)

By: Cara

Cara — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 19:24:59 +0000

I don’t think that anyone was suggesting that we lock up men for the offense of cat calling. Unless we’re talking explicit verbal threats of physical sexual rape or other violence, which is a whole different story, I’d say that some community service would be more appropriate. I also think that getting a conviction on this type of offense would be damn near impossible, seeing as how rape is difficult enough to prosecute with DNA evidence, and that there are few places where this type of behavior, again not involving explicit threats, would actually be illegal. I think the point was more about education and taking all reported offenses seriously, regardless of magnitude.

By: sara

sara — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 19:06:07 +0000

I agree with her that we’d be better off if the legal system could intervene early rather than late on the progression of verbal harassment –> rape.

I’d love to throw all those construction workers in jail. However, thats just not in the cards. Our jails and prisons are already overwhelmed, and if putting all the “cat call” assholes in prison means that a rapist who’s served 20 years in prison gets out early, then I dont like that tradeoff. I want all murderers, child molesters, and rapists to get automatic life with no parole and only after thats been achieved start locking up the “verbal offenders”

Of course we could end the ridiculous “war on drugs” which should free up a lot of room, but thats another debate.

By: Cara

Cara — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 18:29:56 +0000

According to the article, using her definition, just about any unwanted comment is defined as assault.

Not true, though I can see how it would be easy to deliberately misread it that way. She referenced catcalls and sexist and unwanted remarks of a sexual nature. Best case scenario, that’s sexual harassment, and I think that sexual harassment easily falls on what she refers to as the sexual assault continuum.