Pro
Discipline for Perpetrators
Rape in colleges is at an all-time high. It is a crime that often times does not get reported because victims live under the presumption that the judicial system will not believe them, including local law enforcement. According to the New Yorker magazine, “With 108 American colleges under federal investigation for mishandling rape cases and 90 percent rapists getting away with their crimes.” 1 The issue with rape in college is that it might get reported, but ultimately nothing will happen to the aggressor. The result of this issue is that when the crime goes unpunished it makes it okay for others to commit it. For that reason, most rapists get away with their misconduct.
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Usually a victim will report their abuse to the school, but not to the police. The problem is that the institutions will not report the incident to the police, either, in hope of controlling the situation within the school or disregarding the allegation all together. "At Columbia University and Barnard College, more than 20 students have filed complaints against the school for mishandling and rejecting their sexual assault claims," reported by the New York Times. 2 College punishments consist have only ranged from sensitivity training to a one-semester suspension (rarely are there suspensions, though). In order to stop rape in college, attackers need to be convicted like criminals while facing a real trial and justified prison time. There needs to be understanding that rape is a crime that will mutually ruin the life of the victim and the aggressor. "Moreover, sexual assault on campus should mean what it means in the outside world and in courts of law. Otherwise, the concept of sexual assault is trivialized, casting doubt on students courageous enough to report an assault." 2 |
1 Ronan, Alex. "A Powerful Talk About the Campus Rape Crisis at American Colleges." The Cut. New Yorker Magazine, 24 Apr. 2015. Web. 10 May 2015. <http://nymag.com/thecut/2015/04/powerful-talk-about-the-campus-rape-crisis.html>.
2 Rubenfeld, Jed. "Mishandling Rape." The New York Times. The New York Times, 15 Nov. 2014. Web. 10 May 2015. <http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/16/opinion/sunday/mishandling-rape.html?_r=0>.
2 Rubenfeld, Jed. "Mishandling Rape." The New York Times. The New York Times, 15 Nov. 2014. Web. 10 May 2015. <http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/16/opinion/sunday/mishandling-rape.html?_r=0>.