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Fraternity Suspended After Outrageous Rape Survey
This fraternity in Burlington, VT, has been shut down while the "rape survey" is investigated.
“Who would you rape?” CNN reports that is the question recently asked of brothers in the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity at the University of Vermont.
No one knows yet why such a questionnaire would be circulated among these young college men, or who did the circulating, but thanks to one young man who recognized how offensive it was and reported it to school officials the fraternity chapter has been suspended.
Ironic that this should happen in the same week that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that one in every five women experiences rape at some point in her lifetime. Twenty percent! That amount of violence against women is shocking to me, but I imagine it’s not so surprising to those who have been victims of rape. MedPage Today reports the CDC survey found, “… that most female victims of a completed rape — 80% — were first raped before the age of 25; 42% were raped before the age of 18.”
The head of the CDC’s Division of Violence Prevention, Dr. Howard Spivak, says that one important way to prevent these assaults is to teach children early about relationships and make sure they understand how to communicate and resolve conflict. He said, “… the CDC is piloting a middle-school based program in four cities on ways to improve dating relationships.”
How is it that so many men could think violence against women is acceptable? Or maybe they know it’s not acceptable but do it anyway? This makes me realize I need to think very hard about what I’ll need to talk about with my own children to ensure they respect the boundaries of others.
Start early: Teaching young people manners and boundaries
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8 Comments
bob commented on Dec 15 11 at 11:39 amThe question is not inherently offensive and they might be right to be offended that everyone is assuming their intent is evil. The places where people are permitted to speak and ask questions without being punished are becoming pretty darn limited these days.
Mayme commented on Dec 15 11 at 11:45 amHow is that NOT offensive? A bad joke, most likely, but absolutely offensive.
bob commented on Dec 15 11 at 12:03 pmIt’s only offensive if you assume the right answer is yes.
Mayme commented on Dec 15 11 at 1:16 pmThe question posed was “WHO would you rape?” not “WOULD you”. If this is some psychological test to “weed out” potential rapists they need to figure out a better way to do so. Singling out rape as the violent crime to be committed… It’s hurtful, insensitive, disgusting and offensive.
bob commented on Dec 15 11 at 1:59 pmWas that word there the entire time? I clearly have a reading comprehension problem. I’ll be back when I finish repeating the second grade.
KateThree commented on Dec 15 11 at 3:19 pm@Bob, I did the same thing…
Andrea commented on Dec 15 11 at 8:34 pmI think the implication was “have sex with”, although they shoud have just said that. I doubt the kid who answered “Megan Fox” (or whomever) seriously imagined physically attacking, restraining and forcefully having sex with Megan Fox. He more likely imagined just having sex with her – beyond improbable, but still.
I think these young men could use a little sensitivity training, but I don’t honestly think they meant rape as in violent sexual assault. These boys are just garden variety stupid, not psychopaths.
Katy E commented on Dec 15 11 at 11:21 pmAndrea, do you honestly think they meant “Have sex with” when the questionnaire CLEARLY says “rape”? There are a MILLION different ways to phrase “have sex with” such as “Boff”, “Pork”, “Bang”, “Hook Up”, “Swerve” and I promise you that college age males are not so shy as to use those words. The questionnaire said “Rape” and there’s no other explanation. Would you still make excuses for these boys if it was your daughter that was drugged and defiled or would you blame her?
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