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<p>Great post. Earlier on CC I voiced a concern with the term rape culture … however I have NO issue with the term rape sub-culture … and there certainly seem to be a big issue in some groups … for example, some frats and some teams. </p>
<p>If I was the president of a college I’d want some hard data about the situation on my school while we were developing an action plan.<br>
- Are most of the sexual assaults committed by serial offenders?
- Of those not committed by serial offenders are there any common traits?
- Are the sub-populations of the school with higher rates of the problem? (frats in general? specific frats?, teams?, specific teams? dorms? other EC groups?)</p>
<p>Then a more effective action plan can be developed. In reality a school can only change so many things at one time … they should want to be sure they have picked the changes that will have the biggest impact and approaches that will be most effective.</p>
<p>If most sexual assaults are committed by serial offenders I doubt there is any intervention/education the school can provide to these predators that will stop them from still wanting to commit these crimes. It seems to me the focus should be on identifying these guys, getting them off campus, prosecuting them, and making sure info about these cases travel with these students academic records to other schools.</p>
<p>There do seem to be three areas where general education to the overall population could be very helpful.
- Mandatory training on the consent rules
- Mandatory training on expectations and strategies for observers (one for the general population and one for groups)
- Publish information about incidence rates cut many ways … by frat, by dorm, by team (whatever makes sense) … this could include other data like alcohol violations
(I know making these mandatory is a big deal … but what issue on campus other than alcohol is as epidemic?)</p>
<p>The other big area is the schools response when there is an alleged case. There has already be has been a ton of discussion on how schools can handle cases. There are a couple thoughts here …
- In the case of the serial offenders what ever final decision the school makes suppressing the offenses in reports to other schools should not be allowed.
- There also should be expectations and consequences for not meeting the expectations for observers and the groups to which they below. For example,
- observers are expected to try to intervene in situations that know are inappropriate (ie, the women is passed out)
- if there is an alleged event observers are required to report what they know
- to stay in good standing a group must ensure the observers meet their expectations … so no saying “well that just Fred being Fred”, no internal handling the cases to the exclusion of the school, no protecting of the group member over pursuing justice, etc. The groups all exist as a privilege not a right … shape up or your group goes away.</p>