Discussion List for campus-based and allied personnel working to end gender-based violence on campus.

["Mallory Dowd" <>]

Hoping to share with you all the comment I emailed to This American Life
(PRI) producers regarding their episode on student drinking at Penn State
that aired on December 20th.  As a fan of the show, I was very disappointed
that such a crucial issue was ignored.

 

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Hello,

 

Let me begin by sharing that I am a long-time fan of This American Life and
listen to the podcast every week. I am writing to express my disappointment
regarding the episode entitled "#1 Party School," which aired on December
20th. 

 

I was altogether shocked that within the lengthy four acts comprising this
portrait of Penn State party life, the enormous issue of sexual assault on
campus was not addressed. Pennsylvania has an established, renowned
coalition against sexual assault (www.pcar.org) and frequently publishes
state-wide statistics regarding sexual assault and young people. Given the
fact that the majority of sexual assaults committed against college women
occur on campus in student housing, residence halls, or
fraternities/sororities (Humphrey & Kahn, 2000), that alcohol and other
drugs are involved in 55-74% of reported sexual assaults on campus (Lisak &
Roth, 1990; Muehlenhard & Linton, 1987), and that 25% of college women have
been or will become victims of rape or attempted rape before graduating
(Fisher, Cullen, & Turner, 2000), this omission is inexcusable. 

 

To my increasing dismay, not only did producers altogether avoid the issue
of sexual assault, but instead employed more than one reference to "unwanted
sex," implying that sexual assault - though unwanted and therefore coerced -
is still sex (versus an act of violence). Can you explain to me what
"unwanted sex" means if not sexual assault? As a professional advocate for
survivors of sexual assault and a sexual violence prevention educator, I
cannot tell you how many times I have heard law enforcement and
administrative officials blame college-age victims of sexual assault for
engaging in "unwanted" or "regret sex" while under the influence of alcohol.
Pennsylvania sexual assault law clearly prohibits the use of drugs and
alcohol in order to "prevent resistance" to sexual advances; in other words,
acquaintance/date rape (the most common form of sexual assault amongst
college students) is clearly punishable by state law. The use of language
such as "unwanted sex" linguistically eliminates the one responsible for
sexual assault - the perpetrator - and instead lays blame on the victim;
most importantly, it sends the message to your consumers that sexual assault
is, in fact, not an issue.

 

Can you explain - given that the entire episode was devoted to Penn State
student drinking - why this topic was so blatantly avoided? I have always
appreciated the honesty and boldness that TAL regularly utilizes and
endorses, and I am disappointed that such a progressive, honest program has
avoided a tough topic, instead opting to maintain the status quo. 

 

Thank you for your consideration.

 

-- 

Mallory Dowd

School of Social Work

Western Michigan University



517.749.5209