The student news site of Oakton High School

Oakton Outlook

The student news site of Oakton High School

Oakton Outlook

The student news site of Oakton High School

Oakton Outlook

Rape Culture at UVA

Rape Culture at UVA

“Rolling Stone” reported an instance of sexual assault at the University of Virginia back in November. In this article, reporter Sabrina Erdely told the story of “Jackie” who was allegedly gang raped by seven men at a Phi Kappa Psi fraternity party, and then ignored by administration.

Nearly two weeks later, Rolling Stone’s Managing Editor Will Dana released a regretful statement that they should not have made the agreement with Jackie “to not contact the alleged assaulters to get their account.”

New information came about after the article published, proving discrepancies in Jackie’s account. “The fraternity has issued a formal statement denying the assault and asserting that there was no “date function or formal event” on the night in question. Jackie herself is now unsure if the man she says lured her into the room where the rape occurred, identified in the story, as “Drew,” was a Phi Psi brother. According to the “Washington Post”, Drew actually belongs to a different fraternity and when contacted by the paper, he denied knowing Jackie. Jackie told “Rolling Stone” that after she was assaulted, she ran into Drew at a UVA pool where they both worked as lifeguards. In its statement, the Phi Psi says none of its members worked at the pool in the fall of 2012. A friend of Jackie’s (who we were told would not speak to “Rolling Stone”) told the “Washington Post” that he found Jackie that night a mile from the school’s fraternities. She did not seem to be “physically injured at the time” but was shaken. She told him that that she had been forced to have oral sex with a group of men at a fraternity party, but he does not remember her identifying a specific house. Other friends of Jackie have told the “Washington Post” that they now have doubts about her narrative, but Jackie told the “Washington Post” that she firmly stands by the account she gave to Erdely.”

Emily Clark, Jackie’s suitemate as a first year has now published an opinion article on “The Cavalier Daily” backing up Jackie. “I applaud Jackie for telling her story, now two years later. It was a story that needed to be told.” She continues to call for a change in the culture of UVA to fix the issue of rape, and to not let any story go unnoticed

Despite the confusion over the validity of Jackie’s story, rape culture is real at UVA. Other victims have come forward to tell their story, and administration has placed a temporary ban on all Greek Life until 9 Jan.

Students at UVA have greatly been affected by all the events this past semester, but remain positive. “While the school has gone through a lot this semester, it is still the same UVA, but hopefully with improvements and a much more efficient approach to sexual assault,” said Lacy McCleskey, first year at UVA and Oakton alumn.

As McCleskey speaks to the students looking at UVA as a possible future home, she notes that UVA is not the only school with the issue of rape. “In no way should these events change anyone’s decision to go to UVA. UVA is an excellent school and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” she said, “This is a serious issue, but it is not one that just affects UVA, so it should not deter anyone from coming here next year”.

Jackie’s story began the serious conversation about rape throughout media, but it seems that everyone is really waiting to see what action the universities will take, if any at all past suspending Greek Life.

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Rape Culture at UVA