Sexual assault display about resources, not opinions

Editor,

Sexual violence is a very serious issue, and I can say with confidence that many would agree that all survivors deserve healing, hope and love. It was the mission of Students for Life’s “We Care” display to not only provide this for survivors of rape, but to also educate students about sexual violence, consent and yes, abortion in cases of rape.

Literature was provided at the display that clearly defined consent with the intention of debunking the false claim that a victim should be held responsible for his or her attack. In addition, we provided a suggestion board for students to express how to educate our community about the importance of this issue so that we can change the rape culture of our generation. Why? Because we realize that ending sexual violence starts with us as a unified student body, regardless of our political or social views.

The “We Care” event consisted of an extensive discussion on rape and offered statistics taken from sources like the U.S. Department of Justice. Our display also provided sexual assault survivors with several resources for healing like rainn.org, victimsofcrime.org and safehorizon.org. This is something Angela Cantena failed to acknowledge when she claimed “none of the information provided was associated with resources for victims of sexual assault.”

Cantena claims that it was wrong to use rape as a way to discuss abortion. However, we are simply responding to the commonly asked question “what about abortion in cases of rape?” It is ironic that a person who identifies as pro-choice can ask this question, yet a person who identifies as pro-life is guilty of “victim shaming” for attempting to give a thoughtful answer.

We recognize that one in five female students will be sexually assaulted in her college years. We also recognize that 5 percent of rape survivors become pregnant as a result of the rape, and that out of the 198 women surveyed by the Eliot Institute who conceived during rape or incest, 78 percent said they regretted their abortion.

Why did we display these statistics regarding abortion in cases of rape? To pose the following question: is abortion always the right decision for survivors of rape when, in most cases, it only intensifies their physical, emotional and mental suffering?

As a sexual assault survivor, I too am sad to see the lack of justice being given to those assaulted, considering that the average prison sentence given to the attacker is just two years. Students for Life are not telling women who have conceived in rape to choose parenting, adoption or abortion. What we are doing is bringing healing and resources regardless if they chose abortion or not, while also stimulating peaceful conversations on campus that are not in any way shaming, but empowering to women. Women deserve to know about healthy options that help the healing process after being raped, and even though the decision is hers to make, every woman deserves to know all the resources available to her, regardless of her choice.

Sincerely,

Sade Patterson

Vice President of Students for Life