You might have heard of Emma Sulkowicz.
Back in October 2014, Emma’s performance art project inspired college students across the nation to carry mattresses for a day to show their support for survivors of campus sexual assault.
It was called Carry That Weight Day of Action.
April 13, 2015, was a second day of action.
Image via Facebook
Why are these college kids protesting so much? Wasn’t that first protest enough?
Actually, no. Far from it. There are so many reasons we need to keep talking about rape and sexual assault on campus. But one of them is particularly shocking:
106 colleges and universities have fallen short of helping survivors.
As of April 6, 2015, 106 colleges and universities were under investigation for violating Title IX because of how they handled cases of sexual assault on their campuses.
Dear @TUFitts…stop prioritizing school rankings over supporting survivors! #CarryThatWeight #TUCarryThatWeight pic.twitter.com/FbjkkXKrn6
— yo yo honey single (@manalivs) April 13, 2015
Unfortunately, far too many colleges care more about P.R. than survivors.
In early 2015, theaters began showing the documentary “The Hunting Ground.” The film highlights the accounts of survivors whose colleges told them to stay quiet about their assaults or denied them justice. We may never know how many victims have experience this same injustice, but their stories are far too common.
So rather than wondering why college students have to protest so darn much or assuming they’re youngsters making a big deal out of nothing, let’s wonder why survivors still have to run into their perpetrators as they walk from class to class.
And let’s show some support for the young people who are trying to make change happen on their college campuses.
