Sexual Violence on Campus
by SONIA WEGLINSKI
Living on-campus this year, I knew that I had to be wary about sexual assaults. I still remember saying goodbye to my mom on move-in day and her telling me to “be safe and pray always.” I knew what she was referring to immediately. She grew up in a dangerous area where this behavior was the norm; sexual violence was something to be expected and you just had to protect yourself the best you could.
While I was fortunate enough to not have been raised in such an intense culture, living in Utah came with its own faults. Compared to the national average, the Beehive State ranks consistently higher in rape cases, and data from multiple USHE institution’s safety reports show a rise in crimes like stalking and harassment.
Unfortunately, I’ve witnessed the reality of these numbers. It’s heartbreaking to have conversations with your girlfriends about this issue — not only because it’s tragic, but because of how normalized it has become. I know of women on campus who have been sexually harassed, myself included, and even when you haven’t heard a story in a while, a campus alert is there to remind you that another assault occurred. It seems nowadays that the best thing you can do is carry your rape whistle and FaceTime a friend when alone at night.
It’s insanely frustrating to be a woman sometimes. College is supposed to be the “best years of your life”, yet I always have to be on guard. Even before the school year started, I specifically chose to have my creative writing class to be in the morning because I knew I wouldn’t feel safe walking back to my dorms if I took the night class.
It’s frustrating because the majority of men will never understand the precautions we have to take on top of receiving an education.
