Every year, the issue of women’s abuse is addressed through the play “The Vagina Monologues.” The production raises awareness about sexual assault toward women through a series of monologues. No matter how safe a world-renowned university like UCSD may appear to be, sexual assault is a reality on campus, and students need to acknowledge that. Remaining blind to the rapes occurring on campus is not the solution.
Most women are tired of hearing their peers tell them to be cautious at night, especially considering the bubble of safety that UCSD appears to offer. Nonetheless, there is viable reason for the warning. The UCSD Police Department’s 2012 annual security report lists a notable amount of incidents related to sexual offense in the last three years. In 2009, there were nine incidents, in 2010, also nine incidents and in 2011, there were six. Twenty-three out of the 24 incidents reported occurred on campus. Assault does not only happen in third world countries; it can and has occurred on campus as well. Ignorance is not bliss when it comes to sexual assault, and education on the issue may decrease the likelihood of its occurrence.
Through “The Vagina Monologues,” the student body is made aware of the issues women deal with everyday, from menstruation to love to rape. This series of monologues is an integral step in stopping violence toward women. Rape is a hush-hush topic on campus — especially when it occurs between acquaintances — but students need to acknowledge sexual assault and work together to protect each other and prevent these situations.
Another event that spreads information is Take Back the Night, an annual event held by the A.S. Women’s Commission. Take Back the Night encourages victims to speak out and share their experiences with sexual assault in the middle of PC Plaza. The open-mic testimonials reveal that many UCSD students never report the assaults, leaving many perpetrators to face no consequences. Whether or not a student reports the crime, there is a huge underlying social issue: The perpetrator experiences no consequences among his or her peers. If alcohol was involved, many students give the rapist the benefit of the doubt, chalking it up to a regretted drunk hook-up. But this puts terrible blame on the victim, leaving him or her damaged and misunderstood. Meanwhile, the rapist is able to rationalize the situation due to the response of his or her friends. This leads many students to dismiss rape and similar crimes as a phenomenon that mostly occurs in unsafe neighborhoods or countries like India, as seen in recent news. However, Take Back the Night truly brings into light how ubiquitous sexual abuse toward women is and how necessary it is to fix the problem, especially on campus. Although “The Vagina Monologues” and Take Back the Night are events that seem to gravitate toward women, they address important issues that apply to both male and female audiences.
One way to be proactive is to be aware of the resources that UCSD offers to its students. The Women’s Center, the Office of Sexual Harassment Prevention & Policy, and Student Safety Awareness are facilities located on campus. Even those not victimized by sexual abuse should learn about ways to prevent sexual harassment and educate themselves on safety in general. UCSD has also implemented several ways for students to commute safely. The various methods of safe transportation range from A.S. Safe Rides to Campus Service Officer escorts. Both operate during the prime hours in which sexual assault incidents usually take place; Safe Rides operates from 11 p.m. to 3 a.m., and CSO operates from sunset until 1 a.m., at which point duties are handed over to the police department personnel. This year, A.S. Safe Rides has taken additional measures and implemented an online application instead of requiring students to pick up a sticker from a designated location. This campus does not take sexual assault lightly, and students shouldn’t either.
Though UCSD has taken many steps to protect and educate its students, living on campus does not guarantee safety to all students. By maintaining awareness of what occurs on campus, not only can we ensure our own safety, but the safety of those around us as well.
