BY LINDA CORCHADO

In print | Published February 7, 2008 — Updated December 05, 2008 09:59

As a woman, I would like to say that I hold much respect and admiration for the victim of sexual assault last semester who decided to take her case to the CJC. Not only does this take a lot of courage, it also takes a lot of selfless consideration on her behalf for the rest of the women and men on campus. Especially in a small campus like Swarthmore, I believe that we must all be aware of circumstances that could jeopardize our public safety. Much like when Public Safety announces to the student body that a bag has been stolen in McCabe, I would like to see the day when Public Safety will warn the student body that another rape has occurred on this campus. It begins with courage.

Much of Alex Ginsberg’s piece was influenced by a conversation that was posted on the Jolt in December – a conversation I saw unfold. A woman, who admitted she is a victim of sexual assault, asked all brotherhoods on campus to get together and address the issue of sexual assault on campus. Alex rose to the occasion and said he would lead such a cause. I’m grateful for his stance. These brotherhoods could all get together, annoyed by the situation. And I don’t blame them. They could feel like they are being blamed for isolated sexual assault cases. They could express their frustrations that if they have one bad apple within their group, the whole organization looks bad and apathetic to sexual assault. They could throw their hands in the air and say, “but what can we do with an alleged rapist in our brotherhood, if the victim doesn’t even press charges?” All concerns and frustrations are legitimate.

But in a world where sexual assault is a dirty thing to talk about and being a victim is even more so, I would like to ask these brotherhoods to find an innovative way to address such concerns. We have all come to Swarthmore because we believe in something more. We see our realities from where we came and we’ve all, one way or another, fought for change. My hometown borders a Mexican city on the U.S.-Mexican border where more than 300 women have been raped and left for dead. As a young girl I read countless stories of impunity, rape and many more stories of broken mothers who lose their daughters to a losing war of violence against women. During an Amnesty International meeting on the issue, one woman cried out and said it always comes down to women informing men about assault – the dialogue always remains the same.

After witnessing years of impunity when it comes to sexual assault, I ask the men on this campus to demand for something more. This is not a woman’s battle. There is a dialogue that must take place between both gender lines. I speak on behalf of many women who would like to hear back from the rest of the brotherhoods on campus on this issue. At times, victims of sexual assault, unfortunately, are the voiceless. When we need facts, when we want to see charges being made, they are someplace else, living in a nightmare, wondering which wounds to address first, the ones of the body or of the mind. The rest of us, however, should help provide the means for the healing to begin. We should, in essence, help bring them out of the nightmare to a better world. At Swarthmore, we have all, one way or another, conjured up such a world. The challenge is whether or not we decide to change it.

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