First off, I would like to applaud The State News for finally stepping up and presenting quality information on sexual assault with its recent series. Although I do think it’s quite interesting how this is being publicized now because the assailant was a non-MSU affiliated male rather than two male MSU basketball players. And yes, I am referring to the case last year when East Lansing prosecutors denied charges to be brought to these two MSU student-athletes when the case report was revealed and clearly showed sexual assault was committed. Nor were the two players punished by either the university or Men’s basketball head coach Tom Izzo. But the alleged female victim/survivor will live with the effects of being sexually assaulted publicly and internally for the rest of her life.
Unfortunately, sexual assault has been a prevalent issue on MSU’s campus since the 1970s. Around this time, a woman with a martial arts background began going around to the dorms and teaching females basic moves to defend and empower themselves if they came into this situation. This has evolved into a free, two-hour program from MSU Sports and Recreational Fitness Services and is taught by trained facilitators who are MSU students themselves, to both females AND males of the MSU community. MSU is a rare university that has many resources available to its community on not only sexual assault awareness and prevention but also assistance, not just run by women but men, too, for survivors.
Despite all these resources available, acts of sexual assault still are committed on campus. Statistics show that the majority of sexual assaults are committed by a person known to the victim. One in four women and one in six men are victims of sexual assault, and this increases on college campuses. Chances are good that someone you know is a victim of sexual assault. Next time you hear about a sexual assault committed don’t say, “Oh, she/he was probably drunk” or “She was dressed slutty.” It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter if she said yes then no. If the other person is unwilling, then IT IS rape.
Women and men of the MSU community need to step up. Educate yourself about sexual assault. If you don’t want to be accused of sexual assault then take time and consideration to learn what it is and what constitutes an act of sexual assault in the state of Michigan. If we want to eradicate this problem both males and females need to work toward prevention.
Rather than have Kirk Cousins start a campus-wide campaign about God and his faith, why not become an advocate against sexual assault? Izzo and football head coach Mark Dantonio why don’t you use the resources available on campus to educate your players? As influential members of the MSU community, I think student-athletes could really become influential advocates for sexual assault and lead other students to take this issue seriously.
Becky Mayernick, comparative culture and politics senior
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