<p>This is so unbelievably disturbing. From the fact that these incidents are occurring with regularity, to the friends’ complete unwillingness to take the girl to the hospital because it would ruin all of their reputations and might hurt their own pledge chances, to the administration’s obvious unwillingness to try to hold all these perpetrators accountable, there is clearly a very unhealthy atmosphere on grounds. Hopefully this article and the Title IX investigation and compliance review now under way will allow these girls to finally get some justice and go far to changing the current environment. Makes me glad that neither of my kids wanted to go to UVA. I realize that this situation is by no means unique to UVA, and that many (including friends of my kids) have spent 4 very happy years there. But there seems to be a systemic willingness for everyone to ignore the ugly underside of the school.</p>
<p>My 2nd year D says this is all anyone’s talking about on grounds. I’m saddened, shocked and disgusted on so many levels. My D loves it there; and she has not experienced this underbelly of seemingly accepted perverseness. My fervent hope is this will be the catalyst for UVa to step up with all the honor they promote and be the change. It has to start from the inside out.</p>
<p>so disturbing. no comment from uva. I am so sickened; I don’t know what to say/do. My D really liked that option (if admitted) and now i don’t know whether I’d support choice…</p>
<p>Devastating! UVA needs to change its culture dramatically. They still don’t seem to understand the gravity of the situation.</p>
<p>Unfortunately the U didn’t even notify the frat about these incident s and so they didn’t know about it to do something about it.</p>
<p>And the response.</p>
<p><a href=“Important Message from President Sullivan Addressing Sexual Misconduct | UVA Today”>https://news.virginia.edu/content/important-message-president-sullivan-addressing-sexual-misconduct</a></p>
<p>As the father of 1st year (D), this article prompted me to register. Almost as disturbing as the rape described in the article is the fact that the girls “friends” apparently discouraged her from going to the hospital or the police because it would jeopardize her and their social standing. (My daughter also found this troubling, but said she doesn’t think that’s how most students would react.) I will be following the administration’s responses, particularly the actions taken, to this situation over the next several months. I found president Sullivan’s statement today less than assuring. It’s great that UVa is updating policies, hosting conferences, etc… but to-date there is little evidence that the university is actually committed to doing the one thing that will have the biggest impact on ending this long-term pattern of behavior – punishing the perpetrators. </p>
<p>Wow. I will forward to DS who now attends another college with a note saying, “Maybe it is good that UVa only offered you acceptance and a $5K loan with a rejection for the Jefferson Scholarship…”</p>
<p>Just to add to my earlier comments, I continue to be thrilled that my daughter is attending UVa. It is an outstanding university and my daughter is very happy. I don’t think this article should discourage prospective students from applying. However, through its admission standards and honor code, the university promotes justifiably high expectations for its students. I think the students, alumni, and parents should also have high expectations for the administration’s response to this situation. While it’s true that this type of behavior is unfortunately present on many college campuses, I don’t accept that as an excuse for UVa not to deal with it head on. </p>
<p>Disturbing in many different ways - the number of guys involved, the lack of response of the U., the lack of supportiveness of “friends”, the past history of guys getting away with these types of incidents. I thought the University had become much more progressive. </p>
<p>The U.'s response says they were not told all of the details that Rolling Stone was told. The National Fraternity office said no one has been criminally charged and they didn’t know anything about it. Chapters at UVa have been shut down by Nationals for much much less serious incidents. </p>
<p>Here’s info about a book about a previous gang incident at the exact same UVa fraternity:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.readthehook.com/65457/painful-memoir-12-step-rape-victims-book-hits-shelves”>http://www.readthehook.com/65457/painful-memoir-12-step-rape-victims-book-hits-shelves</a></p>
<p>wow, the same fraternity and similarities are astounding.</p>
<p>I found a really good comment on the Rolling Stone site:</p>
<p>"TJ • 6 hours ago
This is indeed a national issue, but UVa must be acutely proactive in changing the culture and attitudesthat foment this behavior. Now that light has been cast on UVa, this can be an opportunity for UVa to be a leader in promoting actions and structural changes that reverse this horrific trend. A few suggestions would be to genuinely embrace the noble concept of Jefferson’s “academical village” and to root out the institutional features that are antithetical. Harvard and Yale use a residential college system that is inclusive and are places where living and learning coexist. Opposed to this ideal is the greek system which should be uprooted from all universities.
Secondly, specially trained police officers should be assigned to the university. Reports of sexual assault should be referred to these officers as well as the adminsitration. The city and county should work with the university to deliver a compassionate and supportive process for those who wish to file charges.
Sexual assaults should be considered a Honor Violation and treated accordingly.</p>
<p>I should also point out in agreement with the author that Hannah Graham’s murder is linked in many people’s minds to the prevalent culture. Hannah was disoriented the night she disappeared; was she drugged at one of the parties she attended and will the police investigate? And resonating with the beginning of this article, she called her friends saying she was out alone and lost…and no one came out to find her.</p>
<p>At the least UVa has an opportunity here to be a national leader on this issue. I hope they will choose to lead, rather than cower."</p>
<p>The Rolling Stone story made the local news here in VA. </p>
<p>@SpaceCoastMom: In my opinion, that’s a problematic way of discussing a very serious issue…</p>
<p>That article is horrifying and disgusting. I would not send my daughter into that atmosphere. Thankfully, my kids are all looking at schools without a strong Greek presence. I know others here strongly disagree, but I’m thrilled that my kids don’t feel the need to buy their friends. </p>
<p>The young lady’s “friends” were more concerned with their social status on grounds than helping a friend who had been brutally raped?! Pathetic. </p>
<p>And the behavior of the fraternity men…I can’t even wrap my head around how unacceptable it all is. That fraternity and any others like it need to be shut down if the culture is going to change.</p>
<p>After reading the Rolling Stone article, I would question why any parent would allow their child to apply to, let alone attend, UVA! And for those young ladies who are considering UVA, I ask you why; what are you thinking? Is it not time for the deans mentioned in the article to leave and, certainly, is it not time for President Sullivan to resign?. And how about the dean who always comments on this board and has her own blog…let’s see if she has any comments on the article. I call on her to condemn the disgraceful lack of strong action on the part of the school’s administration and to strongly condemn the young ladies’ friends for not encouraging her to report the crime to police - or is the reputation of the University more important. And I suggest that alumni donors consider this article when deciding where to send their money or will you continue to fund this disgraceful culture. </p>
<p>What kind of parents are raising these monsters? And what kind of parents are raising these girls who hold their social status higher than the safety and well-being of their female peers? You have to wonder what goes on at the dinner tables of families who raise these types of kids. Just goes to show, money can’t buy the most important things in life.</p>
<p>I don’t understand - so she did not go to the hospital after the gang rape?</p>
<p>Do you not think the police would become involved if a woman was brutally gang raped? Don’t you think she must have had multiple bruises proving beyond anything that could have been argued to be consensual?</p>
<p>I think this story is horrific, but I do not think any comments about “parents raising these monsters” are any more appropriate than for any other violent crime. Are parents of college kids somehow better than other parents?</p>
<p>I mentioned in another thread, once it was a few months after my brother broke my shoulder, how could he be prosecuted for it? In cases of child abuse, how can you prove what happened? Nowadays it is quite common that teachers who rape are caught because of text messages or emails let alone videos. </p>
<p>The victim being strong enough to report the crime is the first step to decreasing crime :(</p>
<p>Boys who gang rape are monsters, simple. They are raised by an adult or adults who have clearly instilled values (or lack thereof) that allow their egos to deem this behavior okay. Girls who talk their assaulted friends out of reporting again have also been raised to put themselves first (at the very least) and put more emphasis on their social status than on protecting their friend and females in general. So again I say, who is raising these monsters? Anyone can make a one-time mistake (rape is never a mistake don’t misunderstand me here), occasionally be in the wrong place at the wrong time, but these groups of men are serial rapists, not young kids making stupid mistakes. Part of raising boys is teaching them respect for women. Part of raising girls is teaching them to respect themselves and their bodies. If you can’t manage that small feat, maybe parenting classes are in order.</p>
<p>Maybe UVA’s administration would be more interested in monitoring the frat boys if US News weighed negative behavior in their ranking system. When someone on the mens lacrosse team murders someone on the womens lacrosse team, maybe the college should drop a few notches in the prestige rankings…</p>