<p>The problem is when it’s stated as fact, instead of attributed. </p>
<p>No idea. Simply an observation that these are allegations at this point, not necessarily the truth beyond any shadow of a doubt. I don’t doubt something happened - whether exactly as written is another matter.</p>
<p>The Washington Post had another article today about this matter. Some people appear to wonder what would happen if it turned out that the actual events were not 100% as Jackie related them. (There is no need for quotation marks as that is apparently her real name.) Today’s article suggests that the administration had problems with the fraternities all along.<br>
<a href=“http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/boozing-hazing-and-sexual-assault-allegations-have-u-vas-entrenched-fraternity-culture-at-tipping-point/2014/11/29/e6b5a8ee-75a2-11e4-bd1b-03009bd3e984_story.html”>http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/boozing-hazing-and-sexual-assault-allegations-have-u-vas-entrenched-fraternity-culture-at-tipping-point/2014/11/29/e6b5a8ee-75a2-11e4-bd1b-03009bd3e984_story.html</a></p>
<p>None of those incidents with fraternities were buried - Cav Daily had quite a few articles re the issues with hazing, drinking, abuse of pledges. Administration was pretty open about those.</p>
<p>We may never know if it is "100 % " as reported unless Jackie comes forward and names names and a thorough investigation is done. Certainly, an alleged gang rape by 7 individuals is a broader public safety issue and unfortunately was not reported at the time. I do believe rapes, sexual assaults have happened and do happen at UVa. But the sensationalism of this story as written in the Rolling Stone article,and lack of corroboration has caused some to doubt the extent of this, which may be painful for some survivors. I really hope the police get to the bottom of this soon . <a href=“http://www.unz.com/isteve/richard-bradley-is-the-rolling-stone-story-true/”>http://www.unz.com/isteve/richard-bradley-is-the-rolling-stone-story-true/</a></p>
<p>Who cares what Richard Bradley thinks? To invoke other cases, like that of Tawana Brawley or some anonymous urban myth from New Orleans (??), just reveals his own biases. Just because this case “reminds him” of something else that might or might not have happened does not make a compelling argument for why Jackie would have made the whole thing up.</p>
<p>I think quite a bit of what he has written is uncomfortable for many people to read. I don’t think anyone has said Jackie made the whole thing up - there’s just more to the story than what’s been discovered or revealed. </p>
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<p>But sabaray, that’s the point–he does exactly what he is accusing others of doing. And from reading his bio he seems pretty connected to the well-heeled old-boys’ networks of elite schools. I have no idea if he has any connection to Greek life or UVa, but it doesn’t really matter. </p>
<p>Wow, I didn’t realize the friends were also imaginary friends. So, there’s nothing factual and corroborated at all in the entire story? Well, that’s not good at all.</p>
<p>I agree, sabaray. I don’t think it is all made up but already some have come forward (including Jackie) to say they were misrepresented in certain ways. The author left out anything good about the activism and groups already on campus and did not include any of Jackie’s and others statements about feeling supported at UVa by the Dean. I believe the 3 friends who she said she called that night also felt misrepresented in how they were portrayed (sorry, can’t find a link on that and I don’t believe the 3 friends have come forward to publicly identify themselves). </p>
<p>sally, if you want to talk about connections, the author Sabrina , went to Penn. She freely admitted she talked to people at many schools, including Ivy League schools and said she could have done an expose essentially on any number of schools,. but she picked UVa to focus on. </p>
<p>Way to exaggerate, marie.</p>
<p>sally, I think at several points in the article he acknowledges that he too is human and has accepted a statement as factual w/out corroboration. I think a connection to UVA or Greek life is far more relevant than being connected with the “old boys” network - which I can assure you I am not a member of. </p>
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<p>As sevmom stated, I think we all hope the police are able to investigate and provide some resolution to what is a painful issue. The story is so horrible that people are fearful of being critical or doubting for fear of backlash, be it online or in real life. </p>
<p>If mistakes in how Jackie’s case was handled were made, I’m confident they will be remedied. I’m just very tired of the war drums beating and the judgment levied on every UVA student affiliated with Greek life. There’s my bias. </p>
<p>Well, okay but initially I did notice the unattributed fact problem and the undeniable inclusion of every imaginable stereotype and extreme scenario. Also, the reporter acknowledged that she had a story she wanted to tell and went looking for it at various schools eventually finding it at UVA. What’s news to me is that the friends are also anonymous. It’s a little unusual to have no-one and nothing willing to go on the record and no attempt fact check or gather official response in a story that is bound to become a big deal.</p>
<p>In other words, it read more like a bad Lifetime movie script than real life to me. We will see, I guess</p>
<p>I’ve been following this story since it was published on Nov. 19th and it makes me ill, but not only because of what (apparently – yes, we don’t know it to be true) happened to Jackie. </p>
<p>What we know to be true is that drinking and sexual assaults exist on ALL college campuses, and they’re not exclusive to frats (sports-themed houses have similar if not worse environments). It is also a fact that alcohol (and more recently drugs) and sexual assaults on campus go hand in hand, and this too is a problem on all college campuses. It is also a fact that sexual assaults and rapes are not always reported because the victim chose NOT to report. </p>
<p>What we do NOT know to be true is what happened that Sept. night in 2012 and we will never know what really happened unless the accused are identified by Jackie and the seven men found guilty. So what do we do in the meantime??</p>
<p>Again, I have no connection to UVa, but I am sickened by people demonizing this school. The Rolling Stone author interviewed students at several schools and of course she chose to write about the school that had the most dramatic story to tell…gang rape, elite frat house, rich white boys…(not to mention name recognition after being plastered all over the news just a month prior, albeit unrelated to UVa grounds, frat, etc). The author’s name and face is plastered all over the media so I believe she accomplished what she wanted --not to bring the topic of sexual assault on campus to the forefront – to sell more papers. </p>
<p>I understand the back and forth on this thread will continue, as I too am completely engrossed. There is no doubt in my mind that UVa will come out as the leader in dealing with sexual assaults on campus and will end up being more safe than any other school. Again, I have no attachment with UVa or Greek life personally so I have no reason to defend either, but I will be upset if they ban frats/Greek life as a quick fix for an event that we are not 100% sure took place. If this gang rape did occur I want those involved to be punished to the fullest extent of the law. However, if inconsistencies regarding that night, or in the article, are found I hope those will come out too. </p>
<p>There are a lot of bad people in this world and I hope that a lot of lessons are learned and the bad people are caught. However, there are a lot of good people too and I feel bad for the innocent people involved here whose lives have been turned upside down just by living under the same roof where some bad people once lived. They are victims now too. </p>
<p>"What’s news to me is that the friends are also anonymous. It’s a little unusual to have no-one and nothing willing to go on the record and no attempt fact check or gather official response in a story that is bound to become a big deal.’</p>
<p>Why in the world would anyone who advised a friend to not report a rape for fear of lessened social status, come forward and identify themselves? Who needs that negative publicity?</p>
<p>Yes, I agree although one might wonder why they would discuss that with a national news reporter, too. Or why any three young women would say such a ridiculous thing to a bloody and weeping friend, or why she would listen to such clearly horrifying and embarrassingly terrible advice. I don’t know. But, a journalist and a fiction writer are two different things and anonymous sources are used although if that’s all you’ve got at some publications, you’ve got no story yet. </p>
<p>Ok, let’s blame the victim. I think you’d have to go a very long way into the realm of fiction to find anything good, or at least not horribly repellant, about this story.</p>
<p>My interest is in the journalism or lack thereof so I don’t know quite where you got blaming out of that comment. Although I suppose at a real stretch I accidentally implied that our unidentified victim shouldn’t have listened to those idiotic so-called unidentified friends. Well, duh! Actually, I didn’t realize you could victim-blame the anonymous. Where do I send the apology?</p>
<p>I buy the unidentified friends wanting to stay that way, for the reason straightshooter cited.</p>
<p>Also, Jackie had only been in college for a few weeks. These friendships were new and untested. Why would anyone think these kids would take a stand for someone they barely knew? I think she was naive if she expected otherwise.</p>
<p>There are many colleges with issues with excessive drinking and sexual abuse. What I find hard to accept is the UVA honor code being tougher on stealing, lying and cheating than rape. I think it is time for change. Yes, there is a standard of proof issue with rape, but there is with cheating too. To keep saying, TRADITION, is not a good answer IMHO. </p>