A Muted Voice for Too Many Victims By: Joshua Pate

It occurs too often and is rarely reported. There is a continual fear that surges

through young, collegiate women in social atmospheres. Although the evidence

and acknowledgement of these feelings have increased, feelings of security

against these crimes have not. Help and resources exist that attempt to prevent

consistent reoccurrences. However, they seem to be rarely utilized. Sexual

assault and the many variations of it, including rape and date rape, is a

burdening affair among college campuses. Unfortunately, it remains a buried

problem.

Some young women feel that reporting an incident of sexual assault may hurt

their reputation. In cases of date rape, most young women are too embarrassed

of the acts committed upon them, if inebriated, and would rather hide their

secrets than go forth and be shamed by their peers. While many do not report,

some do. It is these brave students who give a voice to the fight against sexual

assault in universities and college towns. Danielle Lloyd (22), a senior at the

University of North Carolina Wilmington has been acknowledged for her efforts

in preventing an incident of sexual assault upon a fellow student. Her picture is

displayed upon multiple flyers posted around campus for her admirable and

responsible actions.
New York University released a national statistic stating, One in 4 college-

aged women report experiences that meet the legal definitions of rape or

attempted rape. Their report also stated, 81% of on-campus and 84% of off-

campus sexual assaults are not reported to the police. These figures are quite

alarming, indicating the lack of concern given to this gravely serious subject.

Danielle Lloyd did not believe her encounter with an attempted sexual assault

should go untold and used the strength of her beliefs and character to express

her stance.

Me and three friends went downtown to celebrate one of their birthdays. One

friend left to go to another bar and fifteen minutes later we receive a call from a

random guy saying we should come and get her, Danielle says. When we

found her she was lying next to a tree. We took her home and thats when she

began to turn pale and starting foaming at the mouth. We called an ambulance

immediately. She was released the next day and the doctors said she had been

given some type of date rape drug, but they couldnt identify because it was

laced with other drugs.

Danielles account of saving her friend from a possible sexual assault shows

how easily such crimes can occur. College bars are common places for students

to become overly intoxicated. In these settings, it is sometimes very easy for an

inebriated college woman to blend into a crowd and be, eventually, taken

advantage of.

Some college women testify to the stigma that surrounds these tragedies by

admitting to being date raped after the occurrence. Most will confide in their

close friends but will swear them to secrecy and never intend to report the

incident to authorities. Jordan Gilmore, a UNCW graduate and third grade

teacher at Parsley Elementary School, commented upon repeated incidents

where she was told, by her friends, they were drugged or intoxicated and date-

raped while in college.

Most of them occur at frat parties or just really wild parties, in general, where

someone could easily get away with it, Jordan says. All of my friends who

have admitted to me they were date raped had no intention of telling the police

and absolutely did not want me to tell anyone. I think a lot of them were

embarrassed and worried people would blame them and call them sluts.

Sadly, sometimes maintaining a good reputation around the same group of

people for four years is more important to young women than strengthening the

fight against the over-occurrence of sexual assault. The lack of reporting of

these crimes only grows when those affected are a part of a larger area.
Women usually call here who have been raped in the past and still dealing with

the experience and need someone to talk to, Jenny, a counselor for the CARE

organization, says. And I, personally, have never gotten a call from a young

college girl who had been date-raped.

These centers provide a great service for women who have been sexually

assaulted. However, it is disappointing to hear that young women assaulted and

raped in a social setting in college do not constitute a significant percentage of

callers. It is disappointing because it is a hidden truth of a major problem

occurring on college campuses, nationwide.

Many are not reported, says Detective Bost, a crime analyst detective at the

UNCW police department. There have only been two or three reported within

the past year. This is a sad indication of a dying voice that should bolster a

conquering defeat over these heinous crimes.

While minimal, young women have testified to the reality of the growing

problem of sexual assault on college campuses. However, it seems most only

testify to close friends for fear of being publicly humiliated for being a sexually

assaulted victim. Those who do testify, even on behalf of their friends, deserve

recognition, and that seems to be a small, but growing mission at UNCW. The
university provides a counseling center for sexually assaulted victims, located

right on campus. These measures, while admirable, must continue and multiply

to attempt to break the silent stigma of sexual assault.

Flyers, like Danielles, have been posted in many halls all over campus,

recognizing individuals who assist in the fight against sexual assault upon

college women. Flyers are a start. Social media publicity may be the next step.

How about a hashtag for No more violence and no more silence? Our

generation has an endless plethora of mediums to employ to halt this silent

destroyer. Let us come forth and use our voices to resonate these measures and

our mission to triumph this terrible adversary of equal liberties and safe

education.