Sexual assault seems to be inevitable on college campuses across the country, and DePauw is not an exception.
Monday night, Code TEAL brought Keith Edwards, an expert in male identity and sexual violence prevention, to speak to DePauw students and faculty about how everyone can play a role in ending rape and assault. Specifically, though, his message was clear: ending rape is a men’s issue. With almost ninety-nine percent of rapes and sexual violence crimes perpetrated by men, ending these incidents begins with whether or not men choose to be proactive. Our goal within Code TEAL was to bring this message to the men on campus so that they might have heard how they can positively impact campus. However, looking around Meharry that night, I found myself repeatedly asking this question: where were the men?
As president of Code TEAL, the greatest challenge I face is trying to determine how to get people to care about these issues. While I do not mean that nobody cares if sexual assault is eradicated from DePauw or not, actions certainly speak volumes. What was meant to be a partnership with IFC and fraternities on campus led to gradual disappointment. After long-awaited responses, IFC made it clear they were unwilling to assist with funding this event, but instead offered to “encourage” chapters to attend the event. Fraternity presidents were notified twice about the speaker, yet it was women who occupied the majority of seats in Meharry, with relatively few men present. This did not go unnoticed, either; several voices in the audience remarked the obvious lack of men. I ask fraternities, what message are you sending when not a few, but all of your members choose not to attend an event that pertains so much to them?
My intention is not to shame all men who did not attend the event Monday night. I am deeply grateful to the men and few fraternities who have supported Code TEAL throughout this week and to those who have expressed regret in being unable to attend. It is, however, difficult to comprehend how little support Code TEAL has received from most fraternities, especially when considering that one of IFC’s core messages this year is to promote sexual assault and violence awareness. It is both immensely frustrating and disappointing to try to spread the message of men’s role in ending rape with little support from Greek institutions and to have so few men respond to this call to action. To state your support for a cause is not enough to make any significant change, but demonstrating a drive to promote a safe campus is what leads to transformation. Fraternities are a powerful force on campus, and I believe they can be valuable sources of tremendous good, especially for an issue that requires an initiative from men. Until men on this campus decide to take responsibility, sexual assault will continue to be inevitable.