Before I get into THAT subject matter - I spent all of today at the beach to celebrate turning in a really, really important draft. Hopefully more on that soon!
It was a lovely distraction, and I walked with my friend Liz, who also happened to be there. Happy ran around on the sand and tried to catch birds and splished and splashed and will be showering shortly because he is very sandy. He had a few french fries.
This following subject matter involves sexual assault, if that is a topic that is too much for you, please be warned or do not continue.
As someone who went to college, and an Ivy with a robust social scene, I am no stranger to the types of stories like The Cornell Seven. TLDR, there was an alleged drugging of a young woman at a frat party, and a many-hour-long SA event that transpired among several frat brothers during that time. These fraternity brothers were notified of the woman’s compromised mind and body for the explicit reason to do harm. There were also 40+ other men on the alleged snapchat messages that made the news about the woman’s state known, but didn’t participate.
The seven men involved didn’t all get expelled, only two. The rest wrote essays to have the repercussions of their actions reduced or dismissed entirely. Essays.
The internet is doing what Cornell won’t - holding these boys accountable.
Every single woman I know has heard of SA allegations of friends, friends of friends, or even harbors it themselves without sharing. And it’s nothing new, among women and their friends, on campuses, or in our everyday lives. Twelve years ago, Emma Sulkowicz carried the mattress she was SA’d on around Columbia University’s campus until the assailant was expelled. He was not expelled.
The investigation into these alleged crimes have now been reopened. All I can is that I hope SA on college campuses around the country finally gets the attention it deserves.
I Suggest You Read:
I Suggest You Watch: Promising Young Woman
(which one man once on a date described to me as a movie “about the failings of the justice system,” so, sure.)
I Suggest You Call:
I am told the line is no longer open, but I left a voicemail. They are now asking that the calls be directed to their public relations professionals.
Meredith, your point about women carrying stories they haven’t shared resonated with me. The Cornell story finally moved me to write about an experience I’d buried for thirty years—including staying friendly and still wanting to belong afterward. These young women are reaching generations before them, too. My story: https://erinsax.substack.com/p/what-we-carry?r=2xhsf7&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web