Students still need to keep their guard up on campus after sundown.
To The Editor,
Listen; I’m an adult, and I’m trying to be a more mature one. I joked with a friend over winter break about how one of my New Year’s Resolutions was not to let dumb things get to me so much. So on Wednesday, when I read The Post’s article about campus safety, I restrained myself. I tweeted a few things that I thought were both constructive and civil, and I didn’t even use any expletives or the phrase “bad journalism.” I shared my opinion in a way that I thought might be useful, and then I let it go.
It was much harder to contain myself on Thursday, however, when I read The Post’s editorial that quoted one of my tweets. I was surprised to see myself quoted, and even more surprised that The Post editors chose the only one of my tweets that was not directly criticizing their writing. For context, here are the four things I tweeted. The editors chose the third one to reference: 1. “I get where @ThePost was trying to go with this campus safety article, but it's not grounded in reality on campus: (link to article).”
2. “By including advice about staying in well-lit areas w/o noting where assault have happened, they ignore the reality of campus violence.”
3. “I always thought Jeff & Morton Hills & College Green were safe, well-lit areas, but assaults still happened there. We're not safe on campus.” 4. “It sucks & I hate it, but @ThePostCampus should acknowledge the reality of violence when talking about campus safety. Glaring omission not 2.”
After The Post couldn’t tell the difference between two African-American women leaders on Student Senate last semester, I seem to recall some talk about how open the editors are to criticism from their readers. Well, as Thursday’s editorial framed it, I am one of their readers, and here’s my criticism: be better. When you include advice — as you did in both the article I responded to and in the editorial in which I was quoted — that talks about staying in well-lit and well-travelled areas without also talking about the reality of campus violence, you ignore the complicated situation in which students, and especially women, find themselves.
We can’t walk in well-lit areas all the time, because not all of campus or Athens is well lit. Meetings happen at night, and sometimes we need the resources and the quiet space of Alden Library after sundown. Since I was a freshman I’ve had a complicated schedule that precludes the option of a 24/7 buddy system — sometimes I have to go places by myself. And while the editors of The Post included a caveat that said that being the victim of sexual violence is never someone’s fault, they are still living in a fantasy world.
The fact is that we live in a place where students are attacked in the heart of campus and in their residence halls. This is what a rape culture looks like. And keep in mind that these are just the crimes that people have been brave enough to report. Many survivors of sexual assault are still stigmatized, and are justifiably hesitant to come forward. Even by following the advice The Post included in its article, we’re not safe.
Madison Koenig is a senior studying English Literature at Ohio University and the Women’s Affairs Commissioner for Student Senate.
