A week ago, The Diamondback rightly gave a page-one banner headline to a story that was more important than the Terps' big victory over Clemson. The headline was "Police log two weekend crimes." The first of these crimes caught my attention. A female student was sexually assaulted sometime betweenand 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. Sunday morning, Sept. 28.
It is important to realize that something positive can be drawn from this article. I refer to the fact that the victim reported this incident immediately after it occurred. According to the crime alert e-mailed to the university community midday Sunday, the victim reported the attack at about 3:30 a.m. Sunday. Moments after this traumatic incident, this woman had the presence of mind and determination to notify the authorities and begin to take steps to protect herself and other women. For that act of bravery, she deserves our respect and admiration.
It doesn't seem likely that the assailant will be apprehended. The description the victim gave - white male, 5-feet, 9-inches, 180 to 190 pounds, medium-length brown hair, wearing a blue button-down shirt and blue jeans - applies to hundreds of young men in our community. But even if this particular perpetrator escapes punishment, by reporting this incident the victim raised an alarm that other young women and men will hopefully heed as they make plans for upcoming weekends.
Sexual assault is a serious problem, and I understand that factors such as alcohol consumption and flirtatious behavior can complicate matters. I suspect that when some people read the story in The Diamondback, they noted the woman "brought the man to the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority house where he forced himself upon her" and concluded, "Oh, she invited him in, she was asking for it." Sorry, folks, but let's be clear about something: If, at any moment before, during or after an encounter, either individual considered what occurred to be a sexual assault, then it was. Period.
I have a hard time believing that people who commit sexual assault are unaware that they have done so. Having sex is an enjoyable activity for both participants, and if one person isn't having fun or enjoying him or herself, then the other person should notice. And if he or she does notice but proceeds anyway, then I guess he or she is comfortable knowing he is or she is a rapist.
One of the peculiar things about college is that there's always a new crop of students. It's kind of like what David Wooderson says in Dazed and Confused: As individuals we get older but college students remain the same age. Because each year a fresh group of 18-year-olds arrive on campuses across the United States, agencies such as the Department of Residential Life and the University Health Center produce programs and pamphlets aimed at educating people about sexual assault. It is very likely that these efforts have made a difference and that sexual assault is not as common as it once was.
However, it does still occur, as last week's attack shows. We know about that attack because the victim did the right thing and notified the authorities, who also did the right thing and notified the university community. It has been in the news and opinion sections of The Diamondback, and if you're that 5-foot, 9-inch, brown-haired, jeans-wearing individual, I hope you're embarrassed, ashamed and terrified that you're going to be identified and charged.
To all the men and women at the university: If you are ever the victim of a sexual assault, know that it was not your fault and that you are not alone. Follow the example of the young woman last week and immediately report the incident and seek medical attention if necessary.
Jeremy Sullivan is a doctorate candidate studying American history. He can be reached at sullivandbk@gmail.com.
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