Charlie Maxwell Hunting Ground Post

Charlie Maxwell

AP US Government, Period 3

Ms. Gordon

4/10/16

The Hunting Ground Blog Post

1. According to the film, sexual assault on college campuses is made almost entirely possible by alcohol consumption. Male students use this drug to take advantage of women at various social events. It has become so common, in my opinion, for two reasons. First, fraternities have grown immensely in size and influence, and they are one of the main locations of sexual assault. Second, assailants have very rarely been punished when compared to the number of incidents there actually were. If people are getting away with sexual assault with very little or no punishment, then the incentive not to commit such a crime decreases.
2. Legally, victims of sexual assault on college campuses are in a very tricky spot. Administrators at universities may want to seek justice for the victims, but their number one responsibility lies with the school--they must protect the school first. This is incredibly unethical and leads to the feelings of helplessness often felt by victims of sexual assault on college campuses. In the Jameis Winston case, for example, the victim sought attention from both the Tallahassee police and the support system created for these situations at her school. Neither institution made an effort toward justice.
3. When students try to enforce their rights, they are treated with hatred, accusations, and ignorance. Jameis Winston’s accuser, as an example once again, was essentially forced to leave Tallahassee because of the treatment she received from fellow students. The victims of sexual assault on college campuses are often questioned for the validity of their stories. Being under the influence of alcohol often distorts perception, and universities and students often make this claim about their peers who claim to be victims of such crimes.
4. Title IX states that no person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance. Title IX relates to this issue because of the threat to safety caused by sexual assault. If female students feel unsafe in their learning environment, then they are unable to access the benefits of the education programs they are in.  Furthermore, female students who seek refuge after their assault are often turned away without any assistance. In the film, female students repeatedly said that their was more support in place for the accused assailants (almost always men) then there was for the victims (almost always women).
5. In order to change this culture, I would start by altering the priorities of university administrators--by either getting rid of current administrators who have let this slide, or by making sure each of them knows that justice comes first, school second. Personally, one small thing I can do that might make an impact on those closest to me, is discourage my friends and peers from ever making jokes about rape or sexual assault. If I hear someone make this type of joke, I can explain to them how serious the issue is and hopefully illuminate the fact that sexual assault, especially on college campuses, is no joking matter.