With Sexual Assault Awareness Month coming soon, the editors of The Equinox thought it would be appropriate to reflect on how Keene State College handles and takes action to prevent these horrendous crimes.
When discussing a topic as serious as sexual assault, we should do so to take into account the feelings of everyone who has been harmed by this terrible offense. The editors of The Equinox want Keene State College to do everything in their power to do their best to prevent sexual assault and to seek justice for those it has affected.
We feel the way prevention is addressed does not do enough to get to the root of the issue. The mandatory online test given to students yearly seems to rehash the same talking points without teaching people many new things
To stop perpetrators of sexual assault from committing their crimes it is going to take a lot more than a few posters promoting consent and retelling people basic information which should be common knowledge. What needs to happen is perpetrators need to understand the underlying thoughts they have are problematic. Additionally, they need to seek the help they urgently need so they do not go on to harm somebody.
The awareness of sexual assault needs to be much more engaging so people can fully understand the horrific circumstances that can lead to awful actions being committed. Not only should Keene State College have awareness of the problematic thoughts that are in the minds of potential offenders, but the college should also let bystanders know how to be effective in stopping and preventing such horrors.
Some people might not know they are victims of sexual assault and it is important to help them out so they can immediately receive the help they desperately need. Not only should the college educate potential victims but also would be bystanders. We think everyone should be able to see the signs of abuse and assault and be able to bring an end to it as soon as possible.
Student-athletes and students in Greek Life are given training in Title IX which we believe is very useful. We feel every student should be given a mandatory class on training them in Title IX. This should not just be a lecture, but something informative on tackling the issues of how sexual assault starts.
We also think the seminar given to incoming first-year students should have these issues brought up. We do not see a lot of use for the current seminar and think it can be tweaked to be incredibly helpful in this regard. Proper information can be given so every incoming student will be equipped with knowledge on how to handle prevention.
Furthermore, we suppose the way Keene State College handles accusations could be done a lot better. At the moment there are mixed opinions on how effectively the college has handled issues as serious as these. We have heard some students have really praised the Title IX Office for getting them the help they need. It has also been brought to our attention, some students say they do not feel heard and say cases are not looked into properly or at all. This is something that should not be mixed. Everyone has the right to feel safe and to have the justice they deserve.
We mention all of this because we want Keene State College to be a safe haven for all students. Prevention of sexual assault can be very difficult, but it is very much worth trying so we can bring justice to those who need it the most.
