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<p>This is a pretty big leap, even to link “conservative” and “fratty.”</p>
<p>Miami of Ohio is absolutely a conservative-leaning, Greek-dominated university that has drawn complaints for not taking sexual assault prevention seriously. There have been at least 27 sexual assaults reported since 2009–most of them in dorms. And female students have been complaining that the university has not done enough to respond to this incident.</p>
<p>Sick. But I have a hunch that this was planted by someone who wanted to invoke these very predictable reactions. Activists do this kind of thing all the time.</p>
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<p>Can we please be accurate here? It’s not kids who think rape is funny. It’s boys.</p>
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<p>It is? I’m quite sure that schools that have more fraternities and sororities are on average also more politically conservative. However, this nauseating flier was seen not in a frat house, but in a dorm.</p>
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<p>I doubt it. Momoftwins reports that an RA on the floor had put up a list on how not to rape someone: Don’t have sex when you’re very drunk because you might not be able to detect lack of consent, don’t try to overpower her, stop when she says No, or whatever. Some jerks surely thought it would be just HI-larious to put up a flier explaining how to rape, as a response. Because a girl crying in the emergency room, or a woman with PTSD, leave us all rolling on the floor with laughter.</p>
<p>I doubt these buffoons thought their handiwork would be seen by the world at large.</p>
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Good point. Hope they learned a BIG lesson.</p>
<p>With a population of 150 M males in the US, I would think that there are something like 15 M American boys aged 15-21. Those 15 M boys will probably make in total well over 500 M attempts at humor in a year. Of those 500 M attempts at humor, at least 25 M will be recorded in some form. Of those 25 M, at least 1 M will be in very poor taste. Of those 1 M, maybe 100 K will be discovered by someone who will be extremely offended and will tell others. Of those 100 K, maybe 10 K will be reported to some news organizations. Of those 10 K, maybe 1 K will end up as stories in some publications. Of those 1 K, maybe 100 will have the potential to spread across the Internet, because of the offensiveness of the material.</p>
<p>Offensive little written notes of juveniles or those with juvenile minds, which before would elicit a few giggles and then at best disappear into the background and be quickly forgotten along with innumerable other insignificant events, or at worst cause a local stir, will now have the opportunity to become sensational events to be examined and discussed by the entire country. I become less convinced every day that the mental health of most people can withstand the assaults on sanity and peace of mind that we use the Internet to constantly subject ourselves to.</p>
<p>We could easily forget about rape jokes, if rape jokes were uncommon and rape was also uncommon. Unfortunately, neither of those things is true. Some young women who live in that dorm have been raped or will be raped, we can assume from statistics. Probably some guy living in that dorm, chuckling over that flier, has raped a woman-- he assaulted a woman while she was incapacitated, or he overcame her struggles, or he terrorized her into submission; he raped her. That guy, and those women, don’t need to see such a flier.</p>
<p>+1 to Hunt’s reply. Speech - even speech as objectionable as this - can only be censored in very specific circumstances, such as threatening national security. Inciting immediate harm to someone is one of those circumstances, but a good defense attorney would no doubt argue that no one was actually raped by viewers of the poster. Even so, I’ll be surprised if the school doesn’t exert some sort of discipline on the authors.</p>
<p>I’m still having a lot of trouble believing that this was a group of boys trying to be funny. It’s too weird, too ungrammatical, too idiosyncratic in its obsessions. (Is it really true that in a group of several boys in college at Miami U, all of them would think “your” is the right way to contract “you are”?) If this is really what a group of freshman men came up with, things are a lot worse out there than I thought.</p>
<p>And, yeah, this is speech, not conduct. It’s going to be hard to punish someone in a meaningful way for it. But not hard to make them spend untold hours being re-educated, as long as you don’t call it punishment.</p>
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<p>The person who wrote this is a ■■■■■, not unlike the ones we find here on CC. The “funny” part is not what was written but the absolutely-guaranteed knee-jerk outrage reaction that followed from what conservative talk-show host Rush Limbaugh referred to as the “feminazi” contingent. A put-it-out-there and pass-the-popcorn approach.</p>
<p>Ignoring such antics would have been the wisest solution, but the news media is a hungry beast, with a preference for sensationalism over substance.</p>
<p>What Hunt said. Free speech.</p>
<p>It’s obviously an attempt at satire. I would not leap to the conclusion it was a freshman boy. Visiting females use bathrooms too, even in male dorms. The list, as given, seems very apropos to current events on the Miami University campus, almost too apropos for freshmen. </p>
<p>How would you all feel about the list if it were produced by the university women’s rape crisis center? As a bitter, satirical comment on the university’s treatment of women?</p>
<p>There have been rapes in Oxford in the last month: [Man</a> arrested for rape of Miami University student during burglary](<a href=“http://www.wcpo.com/dpp/news/region_north_cincinnati/oxford/Man-arrested-for-rape-of-Miami-University-student-during-burglary]Man”>http://www.wcpo.com/dpp/news/region_north_cincinnati/oxford/Man-arrested-for-rape-of-Miami-University-student-during-burglary) The man in custody is accused of breaking into women’s apartments while they slept. </p>
<p>Forcible Sex offenses do happen on campus: [Oxford</a> Campus Report | Crime Statistics | Campus Safety and Security | Miami University](<a href=“http://www.miami.muohio.edu/campus-safety/crime-stats/oxford.html]Oxford”>Oxford Campus Report | Crime Statistics | University Safety and Security | Miami University) </p>
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<a href=“Cincinnati News, Sports and Things to Do | Cincinnati Enquirer”>Cincinnati News, Sports and Things to Do | Cincinnati Enquirer;
Have there been convictions for these “forcible sexual assaults”? Or could one say that , in at least some cases, the rapists have “gotten away with it”?</p>
<p>Assaults on college campuses (in general) have been the subject of studies. Here’s one: <a href=“https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/221153.pdf[/url]”>https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/221153.pdf</a> </p>
<p>Context matters.</p>
<p><a href=“Is%20it%20really%20true%20that%20in%20a%20group%20of%20several%20boys%20in%20college%20at%20Miami%20U,%20all%20of%20them%20would%20think%20%22your%22%20is%20the%20right%20way%20to%20contract%20%22you%20are%22?”>quote</a>
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<p>I would be willing to bet that a significant percentage of the students at Miami U make this error on a regular basis. I see it frequently on CC, especially in posts from HS and college students. I don’t think it is a sex-linked trait, though. :)</p>
<p>Austinareadad, Post of the Day, as people are wont to say.</p>
<p>I would bet (from experience) that, while instant messaging, they make that error almost daily (too hard to get to that apostrophe). And so the language, and the spelling, will change. I’d go so far as to say it is not incorrect when text messaging, and it is only a matter of time…</p>
<p>The flier is tasteless, but I think it has more to do with a lame and failed attempt from someone to put out an “epic” prank as the kids call it nowadays.</p>
<p>We received this letter today:</p>
<p>Dear Miami Parents and Family Members, </p>
<p>Our office has received inquiries about the details of the recent incident on
October 8, when an extremely offensive flier was posted in a residence hall restroom. We want you to be aware of the actions that have been taken and know that we will continue to pursue holding the person responsible accountable for this highly offensive flier. We want to assure you that there is no threat to campus beyond the posting of this single flier in a restroom stall. Immediate action was taken to remove the flier and it was reported directly to our campus and police authorities. Links to this news release have been posted on the Miami Parents & Families Facebook page and on the myMiami for Families login page. </p>
<pre><code> Kris Stewart, Parents Office
</code></pre>
<p>Background:
A flier titled “Top Ten Ways to Get Away with Rape” was found in a men’s restroom in a residence hall the evening of Oct. 8. In addition, there were acts of vandalism found in the same corridor. </p>
<p>Miami’s response:</p>
<p>Miami University finds this act and the message reprehensible. Miami University strives to create an environment and culture that is safe for all community members and is respectful of all individuals. Miami’s mission to develop successful students and model citizens is not reflected in this act, which may be the work of one person. “I was shocked when I saw this flier. This doesn’t belong on this campus or any campus,” said Barbara Jones,Vice President for Student Affairs. “The university takes this incident seriously and we are acting accordingly.” </p>
<p>After learning of the anonymously posted flier, Miami officials called a mandatory meeting of all males in the hall. </p>
<p>In addition, these actions were taken with respect to this incident: </p>
<ul>
<li><p>The flier was immediately taken down and reported to authorities. </p></li>
<li><p>The Miami University police department (MUPD) and Miami’s Office of Equity and Equal Opportunity (OEEO) received a copy of the flier from Miami’s Office of Residence Life.</p>
<ul>
<li>A police report has been filed and Miami University continues to investigate. </li>
</ul></li>
<li><p>Miami’s Office of Ethics and Student Conflict Resolution (OESCR) is investigating. The OESCR can take action if a student is found to have violated Miami’s Student Code of Conduct. Potential code of conduct sections violated by the creation and posting of this flier and related damage in the corridor include section 103B - mental abuse or harm; section 104 - damage to property; and 113 - disorderly conduct. </p></li>
</ul>
<p>Potential sanctions for a student found responsible for violating these sections include removal from the residence hall, mandatory educational programs, and suspension. </p>
<ul>
<li>Miami communicated with residence hall staff to gather any relevant or additional information.
<ul>
<li>Miami’s police chief, with agreement of the dean of students, has increased campus police presence in the hall.</li>
</ul></li>
</ul>
<p>Communication with male students in the hall: </p>
<p>Staff who spoke with students at the hall meeting represented the Miami University police department (MUPD), the office of residence life, Miami’s student counseling service and a student representative of MARS - Men Against Rape and Sexual Assault. </p>
<p>They spoke with students in the affected corridor about how the flier represents the residents as men in our society, their families and friends, their views on women, and Miami University. Further, they discussed with all male students in the hall how to stop such behavior, the effects of vandalism, creating and maintaining a healthy and safe environment for everyone, and the bystander effect of actions on a community. They also provided information on relevant programs and actions. </p>
<p>Ongoing resources:</p>
<p>Miami University’s women’s center, MARS (Men Against Rape and Sexual Assault), and WAVES (Women Against Violence and Sexual Assault), offer programming, information, and support. The goal of these resources is to educate, create awareness about, and prevent sexual assault and violence. Updated safety and security information is posted on Miami’s Campus Safety and Security website.
s </p>
<p>The university is continually evaluating strategies and educating students about these issues.</p>
<p>About Us</p>
<p>Miami University
Parents Office</p>
<p>Thanks for sharing that, momtotwins. I used this scenario in an ethics class today, and the letter provides answers to a lot of the questions that came up in the discussion.</p>
<p>And what did they know about hockey?</p>
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<p>Right on schedule.</p>
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<p>Since they don’t know who posted it, how do they know it wasn’t a girl with a grudge against the local guys? The reaction was certainly predictable.</p>