Take back the night

One sexual assault on campus is one too many. Over the past several weeks, the community has been talking about the impact of sexual assaults and alcohol use on campus. We are encouraged that students seem to be more interested than ever in helping address these pressing issues on our campus.

Sexual assaults occur on many campuses across the country, and 25-30 percent of women between the ages of 18 and 25 report that they experienced unwanted sexual advances. There is no reason to tolerate sexual assault at Princeton. While it is no easy task to change college culture, Princeton students should not shy away from challenges, which prompts the question: Can we be the leaders in the prevention of sexual assault and in engendering social change? Can we be in the vanguard of proactive social action that enhances the life and growth of every member of our community? We invite students to continue the work you have begun by joining us for Take Back the Night at 8 p.m. tonight, on the South Lawn of Frist Campus Center to show your support and commitment.

Single events do not change culture, but they can mark the beginning of dialog and a scrutiny of ourselves that leads to the beginning of action. If we understand the nature of our problems, we can design strategies to deal with them. We hope that you will ask each other: What are the particular contextual elements of sexual assaults at Princeton? Given the public nature of some of these events, you might ask yourselves whether you have ever witnessed something questionable. You may have wondered if you should have done something about it, been uncertain about your options and questioned whether your own judgment was impaired by alcohol. Perhaps you were involved in an event that included alcohol and nudity. Students may often worry about what people will think if they speak up, but change begins with acknowledgement that a situation made us feel uncomfortable.

Sexual assault victims often do not report the crime. In fact, as many as 90 percent of such incidents are not reported. For this reason, Take Back the Night emphasizes "breaking the silence." We challenge you to understand the particular issues that might exacerbate the problem and the factors that may discourage reporting. In addition to the usual barriers to reporting (e.g., fearing that one will not be taken seriously, feeling shame and guilt, shock, denial, depression, anxiety and fear of retribution), you may also worry about the impact coming forward might have on your social standing. In a small and intimate place like Princeton, people often believe that the environment is completely safe and crimes do not happen. After all, few are drinking with total strangers. Drinking takes place in your friend's room or at the eating clubs with classmates, fellow club members or acquaintances — and students may believe it's inherently safe. Tragically, it isn't always.

Alcohol use is common on all college campuses. We can't accept this as a reason to tolerate its abuse when it affects the safety of our community. Ask yourself if your definition of a "normal" quantity of alcohol is also the definition of a "safe" quantity from a health and safety perspective.

The relationships students build at Princeton can provide current and lifetime opportunities for social belonging and professional connectedness. Fear of not belonging can be emotionally difficult for students and among other reasons, can affect their choice to participate in risky activities and subsequently, rationalize and justify these choices, to look away or remain silent when a fellow student is incapacitated, vulnerable or in harm's way.

Tradition, ritual and ceremony are powerful and important aspects of community and societal life. Yet, there may be traditions that are worthy of questioning, community debate and even change if they promote unsafe behavior. It is important for us to think about the implications of the use of alcohol during certain social rituals when implicit pressures to conform are also present. Intoxication mixed with social pressure impairs judgment, and without paying close attention to the risks, behaviors and practices that are usually intolerable and unacceptable among our best and brightest, are momentarily tolerated. Good people — even the best people — under the "right" conditions can behave badly.

Let us seize the moment, set the national standard for constructive discourse and change in these vital areas.

Real change can only occur when each member of the community is committed to protecting the safety, integrity and dignity of every member. One sexual assault is one too many. Anita McLean is the interim SHARE coordinator at University Health Services. She can be reached at amclean@princeton.edu.