Posters Provoke Campus-Wide Dialogue on Rape

Author: Nicha Rakpanichmanee

As anonymous posters flooded public and residential facilities at Middlebury College in the past two weeks, their cries of "silenced" rape have proven pervasive in the minds of students, staff and faculty alike.

One of the earlier posters claimed that "one in four college women are raped" and that only one rape has been reported at Middlebury since 1997. The poster criticized the College for "silencing" the voices of rape victims, particularly women.

According to crime statistics compiled by the Department of Public Safety, there has actually been a total of four reported sexual assaults since 1997 — one in 1999, another in 2000 and two in 2001. Sexual assault is distinguished from sexual harassment in that an assault involves physical contact.

"Information can have an appearance, but because I lack information, that doesn't mean that somebody is withholding information from me," commented Lisa Boudah, director of Public Safety. Among a few inaccuracies in the posters, Boudah noted one "grievance" anecdote that to her knowledge matched a publicized court case which resulted in felony charges.

Statistics concerning rape "are always misrepresentative," acknowledged Health and Wellness Education Director Marianna McShane. "Certainly we've had more sexual assaults than that." She explained that many rape victims, at Middlebury or any other place, do not choose to report the crime. Of the reported cases, many do not become public data because victims choose to maintain confidentiality, she added.

"Survivors really get to stay in charge of where the information and numbers go," McShane continued. Among recommended on-campus services for rape victims are the Department of Public Safety, the Parton Health Center, the Center for Counseling and Human Relations, the commons deans offices and the Chaplain's Office.

According to Boudah, reported rape cases are kept strictly confidential by the first informed source. For example, a rape victim who called Public Safety would be invited to speak to an officer, who would document the report but would not share it with any other College office unless permitted by the student. In addition, there would be no duplicate effort to obtain information from the victim, she said.

"Our first question is, 'Are [the rape victims] injured?'" said Public Safety Officer Julia Nadeau. "The biggest thing is their well-being. We have to go by what they want. Things can be suggested to them, but we can't push them." Nadeau explained that suggestions of further action usually include medical and counseling services and further investigation by either Public Safety or the Middlebury Police Department.

Boudah explained that a Public Safety officer would have to document the reported rape with "as much information about what happened as possible," such as the victim's name and that of the alleged rapist, or a physical description to assist identification of the attacker.

Rape victims can give as little or as much information as they wish to their deans, according to McShane. While deans can assist rape victims by reducing academic responsibilities or contacting the Health Center or Counseling Services, they are compelled to keep any information private upon the student's request. McShane herself has over the years been contacted by a number of residential life staff members who call simply for advice on assisting unnamed students.

However, some students see a gap between anonymity and confidentiality. Current College protocol eventually informs the accused, in an official letter, about the case if he or she is to face disciplinary action. According to some students, this is a violation of confidentiality and thus proves the need for anonymous reporting.

"I wish that every woman could feel like she could report [rape]," said Elizabeth Brookbank '04, president of Feminist Action at Middlebury (FAM). "But [the rapist] is going to know. His friends are going to know. People are going to talk. That's the way it is. We're such a small campus."

"Because we're a small community, some people are afraid," McShane said. In regards to official rape reports, she "[doesn't] believe that there is an anonymous mechanism. I think it might be good to have forms that people can fill out through counseling or [Public Safety]."

Boudah acknowledged that anonymous reports would be difficult in confirming the rape, and without details like date or site, records of such reports can be limited in accuracy. "The more information given, the more likely we'd be able to record it," she said.

Additionally, it is Public Safety protocol to follow up on phone calls that suggest dangerous situations, said Nadeau. Because Public Safety can identify the location of all incoming calls, an officer would routinely be sent over to the caller in certain situations.

Boudah recognized the potential conflict with anonymous reporting, "but safety is our main responsibility. We'd be negligent to not send an officer to make sure that the environment is safe." Boudah said that officers, upon arrival, would not refer directly to the call about rape, but offer to address questions or concerns

"It's not possible [to be anonymous]," said Katie Mae Simpson '02. "I'm aware of several women who have been sexually assaulted, and I have friends who know several others who have been as well."

Simpson brought up another concern that the only nearby medical service with a Sexual Assault Kit is Porter Medical Center. "The problem with not having it available at the Health Center is that to get a ride from [Public Safety] you need to give your name."

Simpson put up the first claimed rape-related poster, which distinguished between consensual sex and rape. "I can tell [people who disagree] my side of the story," she explained. "I can handle that. I'm someone who hasn't been raped but who is fighting to eradicate rape."

According to Brookbank, FAM views the posters as "fantastic" although she said the organization is not responsible for the posters, some of which were claimed by an unofficial group called The Goddess. She said that other women "felt empowered" by The Goddess' posters and added their own to the walls of Middlebury College.

Kevin King '02 thought the posters were "violent and very incendiary," and the details "very poorly chosen." He questioned the "accountability" of the anonymous posters and "wondered if the fervor of [the posters' authors'] rhetoric encourages them to stretch things a little bit."

"I have enough faith in people that I don't think they would run around making these things up," said Nahal Batmanghelidj '02. "I feel sorry for the person that feels the need to do this rather than seeking redress through the College."

Assistant Professor of French Armelle Crouzieres-Ingenthron, who has her office in the May Belle Chellis House, commented on the posters. Last week, "[the posters] suddenly appeared," she said. One copy of the "one-in-four-women" poster was put on the front of her office door. A few days later, almost all of those posters were removed from Chellis House, and the one on Crouzieres-Ingenthron's door was moved to the door of an unoccupied room.

"I didn't feel it was offensive," she said, and she put the poster back on her door, where it remains. "I think maybe something is happening and students are not ready yet. But in a way, it's healthy to think that they're thinking about it. The posters have stirred something. It's a delicate issue to talk about."

She added, "I don't think when one is talking about rape one can talk about gender-bashing. If it is anything, it is female-bashing."

"The posters scare me," said Rob Oller '05. "Can you imagined being pinned down for rape? I saw people laughing at the posters, and I didn't appreciate it. In an environment where drinking and joking about sex are casual,
some guys wouldn't think twice."

A male first-year, who asked to remain anonymous, said, "The posters could be more informative," with cited statistics and clear definitions of terms like rape. "They're more for shock value," he added. "Middlebury is a big drinking school, but it's not a violent school. And especially when people get drunk, wake up the next morning, what's the difference between regret and someone being raped?"

Despite a spectrum of reactions, Brookbank said FAM "wanted to take advantage of the momentum these posters have created." Currently, the group is composing a multiple-page rape survey, with the help of professors, in order to show "different numbers" than the current statistics.

Brookbank noted that many people in the administration were supportive of FAM's caue. "People who really care still have to work within the system," she said. "The policy gets in the way."