<p>After dwelling over this very unsettling news for the past 24 hours I decided to reread the article. If Jackie really wants to make a difference then she has to name the 7 guys that did this. The students must know who she is already so what more does she have to lose? There’s no way these guys will be charged as there’s no evidence, but their names will be out in the publc and their reputations will be ruined. Hopefully this will be a wake up call and scare the sh*t out of guys and prevent more acts like this from happening in the future. Jackie brought attention to this on her own free will so now ball is in her court and she needs to take responsibility to make a difference. </p>
<p>@BJAG - it would be great if Jackie named the 7 monsters who gang raped her for 3 hours but perhaps she is not emotionally strong enough to do so. Perhaps the best she could do was to speak anonymously to a reporter to shed a much needed light on the monsters who live on Rugby Road. I have never been raped let alone gang raped, but I imagine it is a devastating experience and to get less than stellar support from friends and the school administration has got to make it all the worse. I also do not expect much from the Governor’s special investigation when he picks a former Phi Psi member to lead it - talk about tone deaf. Last week the Washington Post ran a follow up article on the Graham family and the quote that now stands out to me is this “Your kids grow up and they go away to school. It’s just what happens. It seemed as safe as can be. But how wrong can you be?” It seemed as safe as can be…it seems that folks have no problem vilifying a large black man who did not attend UVA but when the monster is a white boy in a JCrew oxford shirt it is quite another matter. </p>
<p>Heather Graham was filling out her college ap when Jackie was getting gang raped - in a more supportive environment, Jackie may have felt strong enough to go to the police and the story of the frat boy gang rapists would have been front page news in the Washington Post for months. The ball is in UVA’s court, UVA needs to take responsibility to make a difference.</p>
<p>Agreed. Jackie needs to step up, all the villafied frat boys that are being supported here need to even more so, and then theres UVA. If these three contingencies stepped up to the plate, the Rolling Stones article will have accomplished what I think they were aiming for…if there was ever a time for a university movement, this is it. Lets see what our next generation can do. It will say a lot about how we raised them.</p>
<p>I’m struck by the part of the story that includes the boy from the discussion group. One would get the impression that he was a relative neophyte in the world of monstrous behavior. Why are we not suggesting <em>he</em> should have been strong enough to tell his buddies no and report the incident? Why is the onus on a traumatised young woman?</p>
<p>I wouldn’t be sure Jackie knows all of the guys by name. She was a freshman at a new college. She does know the real identity of “Drew” and the kid from her anthropology class. </p>
<p>You know who does know who all these boys are? The rest of the Phi Psi house. This behavior is not new news to any of them. Where are the “respectful members” who think they are being unfairly vilified? They need to speak up, too.</p>
<p>Sullivan should give the ALL the Phi Psi boys two options…start talking or finish their education at their local community college. If something happened at their house they know about it. They need to rat out the criminals or they are obstructing justice and in violation of the honor code.</p>
<p>Jackie has made a accusation. it may or MAY NOT be true. She has stated that three “friends” were immediately told of what happened to her. They can be contacted for verification and the men involved should also be named and an investigation be undertaken. Yes, she may be fragile. She isn’t going to want to do this. But she has made a very serious allegation against some individuals, an organization–a fraternity, and individuals. Frankly, if I were part of the any of those involved, I would be taking action for defense right now, seeking verification of the story, both from Jackie and on campus. As to those men involved, what if the story is an exaggeration and they do not not know what the heck she’s talking about? Clearly if this happened those men who did this will be running for cover and defense right now, but if they don’t even recognize the episode, if the story is over embellished or not true, this can be an issue. </p>
<p>This happens again and again in cases of rape, sexual harrassment when allegation, accusations are aired much later when the evidence is gone, and all one has is a story. Then people take the story at face value because they simply feel no one would make up such a thing and put self under such scrutiny. THAT is not evidence that things happen. We have another thread about Cosby being accused of sexually assaulting women, again all anecdote driven. Bear in mind what havoc can be wreaked when someone from the past comes up with a good story involving YOU with absolutely no proof, but you can’t disprove either due the time gone by. There is good reason for proof needed to even accuse a person of a crime. Civil courts are not onerous in terms of proof and often these cases need to go there because they simply do not meet the standards of criminal cases.</p>
<p>Those at UVA who were told about what happened need to go over what they were told, and the university should carefully examine how these things could be better treated every step of the way. </p>
<p>It is possible, that the RS article is not exact in what happened, the number of males involved, whether all wer Phi Psi, whether any other than the perps at Phi Psi knew about this. IMO, frats should be kicked off campus and be forced to be completely private with no university affiliations. Clearly they cause more trouble than they are worth, IMO that more than offsets the good that I do not deny that they do and the pleasure they give. They are gangs, is what they are. High faluting gangs, but gangs none the less. And young men in gangs, and women in cliques, for that matter, are known to be behave in ways far more appalling than those in those situations individually. </p>
<p>Well said cptofthehouse. I agree with your term “gangs” in this respect.</p>
<p>UVA had an equally hard time about twenty years ago in addressing its racist legacy. This was the place that fought hard against getting rid of the confederate flags on campus, the parties where people dressed up like slave owners. UVA had a very hard time acknowledging that its buildings were built by the fine Mr. Jefferson using slave labor – and yet they wondered why African American students weren’t flocking there in record numbers. THe university didn’t really address racism and pervasive institutionalized racism until it was cornered, and it seems to now be repeating the pattern with sexism and gender violence. </p>
<p>Ask yourself – if that song about raping women was racist instead of “just sexist”, would they still be allowed to sing it? Would the a capella group at the taxpayer supporter institution – that is, the taxpayer supported a capella group – be allowed to sign a racist song? The concept that my tax dollars in Virginia are given to an institution which allows members of an officially sanctioned group on campus to sing a song that condones raping my daughter? My stomach churns.</p>
<p>I’d like to see lots of people fired over this and the establishment of a new governing board which includes prominent women and men who are active in the field of sexual assault prevention. I’d like to see the whole university shut down for three days for an intensive teach-in on the topic of sexual assault, I’d like to see all the frats shut down for at least a year, I’d like to see a mandatory course on gender politics made part of the curriculum and I’d like to see the establisment of a sex offender website which features photos of students who have been found guilty of sexual assault, searchable when they go on a job interview. </p>
<p>I cried when I read the article, and again when my son, a college freshman at another Southern school, called me to tell me how disgusted he was when he read the article. </p>
<p>Our daughter has enjoyed the summer enrichment program at UVA but between this article and the Jesse Matthews incident, we’re thinking long and hard about whether we will let her go this summer. </p>
<p>I do not know what the overall atmosphere at UVA regarding sexual misbehavior, misogeny, fraternity issues, et, etc. I agree that song has to go-- make it song mocking African Americans or any ethnic group and it would have been shut out. Whether UVA is far worse, worse, about the same, or even possibly better in terms of sexual crimes, the issue is that it’s under a spotllight NOW that is heating up a hot seat for the school. So those at the school should be taking this very seriously and acting like the grand respectable institution as they want to be so viewed. </p>
<p>Over a RS article alone, no one should be fired. Investigations should be launched and if those with responsibilities did not do as they should have, and it so proven not by some narrative, but substantiated, yes, some heads should roll right off campus. </p>
<p>The Clery Act should be mandatory reading and anyone in any positon at the school should clearly know what to do when ANY possible criminal acts come to their attention. It is not the place of any teacher, employee, whoever to decide if there is sufficient evidence for anything. These things should be turned over to the police and it should be up to them with the DA as to how these things should be addressed in the legal forum. The university, then needs to follow up on their end. How these so smart school folks havent’ learned dirt about reporting these things as they have shaken their heads over the Catholic Church non response to their predators, how PSU did not report possible sexual misdeeds, I cannot understand. It’s NOT up to any individual to make that call as to whether something should or should not be turned over to the authorities.</p>
<p>Sad that it took a sensationist story to bring these situation to the forefront. As one who is very much on the side of the accuseds’ rights, I also am concerned about lynch mobs that are not insisting on due process but heads on sticks. There has to be evidence. A lot of MSM reporting is to incite and as they want to focus the blame on persons without the proper evidence or any evidence at all other that “why would someone tell such a lie”. The focus should be on the infrastructure and what is there that allows these things to happen, that they are not reported, and that should be rectified. </p>
<p>My daughter is a 4th year; she loves UVA and has a wonderful experience studying there. My younger daughter was denied admission, and I must admit, I am now not so disappointed that she is studying elsewhere. UVA is a great school, but clearly there is a problem. Most acknowledge it is a widespread problem at colleges and universities across the U.S., but the focus is now on UVA. In addition to the recent media accounts of rape, abduction and murder, two students have committed suicide this year. I would encourage any parent of a student applying to college to investigate those institutions that their child is seriously considering and look into statistics on sexual assault, suicide, etc. UVA does counsel students on these issues, and does have a support network, but clearly they need to do better. Most importantly, parents need to talk to their students about these issues and ensure that are prepared to face independent college life and stay safe.</p>
<p>Mark Filip will no longer serve as independent counsel due to Phi Kappa Psi affiliation</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.cavalierdaily.com/article/2014/11/counsel-phi-kappa-psi”>http://www.cavalierdaily.com/article/2014/11/counsel-phi-kappa-psi</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://www.cavalierdaily.com/article/2014/11/community-confronts-sexual-assault”>Community confronts sexual assault on Grounds - The Cavalier Daily - University of Virginia's Student Newspaper;
<p>Students starting to organize. Faculty members weigh in. </p>
<p>Great. Its time the students took control of the situation and bring pride back to their school. In order to do that, anyone (students, faculty, administration, security) who is not transparent about what they know should be separated from the school immediately. Time to get down and dirty, sort through the trash on their campus and clean it up.</p>
<p>She hasn’t even used her real name so that seems unlikely.</p>
<p>As a parent of a current student, I found the RS article so disturbing. The description of Jackie’s rape is devasating and my heart goes out to that young girl. When other victims’ stories were described, going back decades, the article clearly supported the fact that these incidents are not rare and that UVa has had a long time to come up with policies that serve these young women better. Federal pressure through the Violence Against Women Act has prompted long-overdue comprehensive policy changes at UVa and elsewhere, proposed changes here <a href=“http://www.virginia.edu/sexualviolence/policy/”>http://www.virginia.edu/sexualviolence/policy/</a>. </p>
<p>As compelling and vital as this conversation is, it is diminished by the snide tone the writer chose in isolating and denigrating UVa, the choice to paint with such a broad brush a stereotype that few could recognize, and the cruel timing of choosing UVa for this article while the students are still reeling from the Hannah Graham tragedy. Many of the comments posted here show how these journalistic choices to sensationalize the subject lead some to think they can protect their kids by simply sending them to college somewhere else – without the social climbing, entitled, drunk strivers who sing offensive songs while a disinterested administration protects its donor base. </p>
<p>We desperately need a real conversation about how to serve victims better, the role Universities can play in supporting victims and punishing perpetrators, the role of the criminal justice system. But please, our collective outrage that such crimes are perpetrated must be tempered by reason. Did I really just read here that someone thinks victims should be forced to testify or face expulsion? That an entire fraternity should be expelled if they can’t provide witnesses to a crime that was never reported to police, let alone prosecuted - 2 years ago? </p>
<p>It seems to me that UVa’s approach has been to put the victim in the driver’s seat when a rape is reported to them, an approach that was lauded by the victims in the article but criticized by the writer. Should privacy rights of the victims be waived and a parent called immediately to weigh in? Should the University press criminal charges when a victim does not want to? Could such a case ever succeed with a reluctant victim? What effect would such actions have on victims’ willingness to seek help at all? </p>
<p>The issue of fraternities as a source of drinking and sexual assault is well covered elsewhere on CC, so I will not open the debate here. At UVa, where fraternities are on private property, the question of criminal versus university investigations is more complicated because it is Charlottesville police, not University police, who have jurisdiction at the houses. Individual houses have lost privileges in the past for their actions, so perhaps Phi Psi will become another empty historic house on Mad Bowl. But they do deserve their own due process, in my opinion, regardless of the present inclination to throw bricks through their windows and spray paint their house. As cptofthehouse has said, reporting Jackie’s attack immediately would have been the best opportunity to prove a crime had occured. </p>
<p>As others have noted, UVa has been taking action, communicating and training students, identifying fraternity leaders to take charge of this issue in their houses, comprehensive list <a href=“http://www.virginia.edu/sexualviolence/policy/appendix3.html”>http://www.virginia.edu/sexualviolence/policy/appendix3.html</a>. Of course they can and should do more to create a safe environment for reporting, engaging the police, and certainly in providing appropriate punishment when perpetrators are found guilty. But they can’t lock our kids in at night, read the minds of students who don’t report, force them to go to the police, or expel alleged perpetrators without due process. And they can’t even defend themselves against the specific accusations in the article because they must protect victims’ privacy. </p>
<p>The public comment period for UVa’s proposed policy changes ends December 5. Any concerned parent should read this document and see if it goes far enough. If you don’t have a child at UVa, you should seek out the written policies of your chosen university and ask the same questions.</p>
<p>I just wrote to Sullivan and VP Lampkin, and in it I voiced my main concern which is the guilty finding against the student accused of sexually assaulting Stacy. </p>
<p>There are so many disturbing aspects of the RS article but while I do believe the story there are also some aspects that are open to debate and have not yet been proven. That is why the proven case against Stacy’s attacker is so troublesome. There is no debate with that one. The boy was found guilty yet despite the fact that UVA claims to have zero tolerance for sexual violence it suspended the kid for 1 year even though simple cheaters are expelled. </p>
<p>Then, UVA, which says it encourages victims to report incidents to the police, didn’t bother to report the assault to the police even though they had just found the student guilty of assault. The predator should have been rotting in jail for a year, not traveling the world and serving a 1 year suspension. </p>
<p>As the last line of my letter says: actions speak louder than words, and while your words are great, your actions are not. </p>
<p>captofthehouse wrote: “Jackie has made a accusation. it may or MAY NOT be true. She has stated that three “friends” were immediately told of what happened to her. They can be contacted for verification”</p>
<p>NBC29 in C’ville contacted the friends and verified their accounts. I have included the link but here is the quote from the article- </p>
<p>“Jackie’s friends, also victims of sexual assault, say every gruesome detail of her gang rape in the article is true. They see Jackie’s story as an opportunity to get people talking, change rape culture, and bring justice across the country.”</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.nbc29.com/story/27443025/friends-of-rape-victim-comment-on-rolling-stone-article”>http://www.nbc29.com/story/27443025/friends-of-rape-victim-comment-on-rolling-stone-article</a></p>
<p>Mom2twins wrote: “And they can’t even defend themselves against the specific accusations in the article because they must protect victims’ privacy.”</p>
<p>I wonder about that and whether they use that as a convenient excuse to hide. You are always hearing the names of people who are under investigation. </p>
<p>TV – The article you cite does not say these are the friends to whom she immediately reported the attack, which is i think what Cpt was referrring to. </p>
<p>I did find this quote from a friend who participated in the RS article to be interesting. Regarding the RS writer:</p>
<p>“Her portrayal of Dean Eramo is a lot different than how the student body actually feels about Dean Eramo,” said Pinkleton. “For the student body, Dean Eramo is the go-to person who will do everything in her power to support the survivor.”</p>
<p>Pinkleton thinks some of her own quotes were also misinterpreted, saying “I would clarify that I did not mean anyone is intentionally covering up rapes here.”</p>
<p>Jackie’s friends say they spent a lot of time talking with the reporter and they’re also disappointed that she “downplayed and overlooked the activism in place.”</p>