Tom Petty once spoke words of truth in a song he released in 1981.
These words should have been taken to heart recently, as an adult female was survivor of a sexual assault that happened on campus.
“The waiting is the hardest part”.
Both survivors of the assaults waited a number of days to come forward in an attempt to inform authorities. While neither of these women came forward immediately after the assault, it is not unheard of for survivors to wait a little bit to inform the authorities, as the Sexual Assault Crisis Agency noted that only 16 percent of all rapes are reported.
That can only lead one to think why aren’t the other 84 percent coming forward, or have not wanted to due to fear.
What we really should be thinking is how is the victim OK? Is there anything we can do to help? In no way should the victim be judged for not coming forward, especially in a situation like this.
But we also must not forget that what the best thing to do is talk about it.
Try and imagine just what someone would go through, after having been sexually assaulted by others.
What would go on in YOUR head? What if this happened?
Take that into perspective.
The incident in question occurred on a Friday afternoon in which the campus is basically a ghost town, with stragglers here and there, in a building on campus.
In light of everything that may or may not have happened, there must be a way these events can be eliminated from the campus.
Over the past few years, there have been multiple assaults per year, many of them either happening during times where night classes are in session, or in areas where no one was near.
There must be a way to prevent this. Campus police, who are relatively no where to be found on campus on Fridays and usually patrolling the surrounding areas, should have more of a presence known on campus, if a feeling of fear is felt.
Campus police do a fine job protecting students during prime time occupancy, but on days described before, walking in groups is the most logical thing to do.
Taking classes with friends can be an alternative, which is not always possible.
Our campus is still full of old buildings with one new building and another on its way.
A restroom in a building at the southeast end of campus on a different side than the police station is where the incident occurred.
It has become common to find cadets or officers patrolling campus on a regular basis, but has funding become limited to where recruits and officers do not work normal police shifts.
These assaults should not be happening.
There is no explanation as to how they happened, but the people involved must come forward.
The person assaulted should find a way to talk about what happened to someone deemed trustworthy.
Alternative methods to seeking a person to talk to is what the Sexual Assault Crisis Agency is all about. Commercials are aired frequently on our radio and TV offering an ear to talk if needed.
But if the survivor is not ready to talk that person should not be forced to. In no way should they be forced to talk about something they are still uncomfortable talking about.
But just as Petty said verse after verse in his composition, “the waiting is the hardest part”.
Waiting to tell someone can make things worse as the persons described in the police report may be much harder to find.
Assaults like the one mentioned have been happening on this campus for some time, and time after time, very little has been done about it.
There must be a way to protect those on campus more frequently.
Hopefully the budget cuts have not affected our security at EC.
