Current Issue

I think it's about time that I comment on the recent sexual assaults that have occurred on campus in the last three weeks. Thus far, there has been three confirmed and reported assaults. To me, this is extremely frightening. I no longer feel safe walking alone on campus even with my trusty whistle in hand (honestly, what is that going to do). I don't mean to purposely provoke worriment from my Nana or the rest of my family but, honestly, it's all anyone ever talks about anymore.
"Don't go out alone."
"Make sure you don't stay out too late."
"Do you have your whistle?"
Today we saw news cameras reporting the incidents, my entire facebook feed is articles pertaining to these assaults and safety on campus and on Saturday we had a floor meeting giving us safety tips.
Even worse, people are making jokes and even exaggerations about what has happened.
"They're here to talk about the rapist."
"There was a fourth assault and the girl got raped."
Where do these people get off? First of all, none of these assaults can be described as rape and the fourth assault hasn't even been officially reported yet and may never be. This fourth assault was reported only to The Ubyssey, and even so, it was reported by a 'friend' of the survivor who was assaulted.
But what we should perhaps be talking about here is that it is not up to any UBC student, male or female, to live like they are in prison, taking every single precaution that they will be safe at night or even during the day. What really needs to be happening is for people to stop assaulting because it's no one's fault but theirs that this is happening. This issue is something that needs to be taken care of first by the rcmp or campus security to make UBC a safe area. Secondly, it's up to society to stop blaming the survivor and to start blaming ourselves for encouraging rape culture, in whatever shape or form it may be. I don't know exactly how to fix this but we can easily start by ostracizing the ideology behind rape culture.

The Ubyssey's coverage:
http://ubyssey.ca/news/rcmp-sexual-assault-235/
http://ubyssey.ca/news/sexual-assault-fairview-235/
http://ubyssey.ca/news/third-sexual-assault-436/
http://ubyssey.ca/news/wesbrook-assault-325/
http://ubyssey.ca/news/ubc-patrols-235/
http://ubyssey.ca/opinion/sexually-assaulted-on-campus-story394/