Justice Story: Recants May Contribute to Underreporting of Sexual Assault

Outline


1. Lede – night of partying – sexual assault
- reality of underreporting
2. Assualts on campus this fall
- recants
3. Recant quote “atmosphere of women as liars” Chastain
- nothing bad happens here
4. Office Petlovany quote
- Safety/Fire report stat
- precautions? Are they taken?
5. Mary Anderson “false reports” quote
- negative effect on campus
- underreporting stats
6. Men as victims
- why they won’t report
- resources for men
- closing quote from Chastain

A typical college weekend of beer pong and binge drinking may seem harmless, but for some a night of innocent partying can take a nightmarish turn. In reality, sexual assaults on college campuses are shockingly underreported and WSU is no exception.
Early this semester, many Washington State University students felt a twinge of panic as they received late-night text messages alerting them of assaults on campus. The three attacks, though recanted just days later, brought the reality of sexual assault uncomfortably close to home.
Although the WSU campus newspaper, The Daily Evergreen, reported on the alleged assaults and the subsequent recants, it was never made clear why the reports were recanted.
“The recants definitely breed an atmosphere that considers women to be liars,” senior political science major Jared Chastain said. “On the other hand, when no one comes forward at all, we have this false sense of security. Like, ‘See? Nothing bad happens here.’”
WSU Police Officer Mike Petlovany says he believes that sexual assault and rape are “extremely underreported” on campus. According to the 2009-2010 Cougar Annual Safety/Fire Report, just three cases of forcible rape were reported on campus in 2008.
“I have no doubt that there are many more incidents that occur that we just never hear about,” Petlovany said.
Petlovany said that there are precautions against sexual assault that can be taken, such as coming and leaving parties in groups, avoiding walking alone at night, and monitoring alcohol consumption.
“Some people do take precautions and are aware of the risk,” Petlovany said. “But some make themselves easier targets.”
Mary Anderson, the WSU Women’s Resource Center program coordinator, said that it’s important the recants are not considered “false reports” since reasons behind them are still not public knowledge.
“If they are thought of as false reports, there is a negative effect on campus,” Anderson said. “People do start to dismiss other reports, and considering the difficulty that victims already have in coming forward, we do not want the situation worsened.”
Anderson said that although the WSU police have no way of recording unreported cases, national statistics imply that as few as ten percent of sexual assaults are reported.
Anderson said that societal standards don’t allow men who are victims of sexual assault to report crimes against them.
“Sexual assault absolutely does happen to men,” Anderson said. “But in our society, women are expected to be victims, while men aren’t allowed to be.”
While there are several resources on campus available for women to take preventative measures against sexual assault, there are few comparative resources for men.
WSU Recreation is now offering a Men's Violence Prevention class as part of the Wellbeing program. According to the online description, the class includes a discussion of how men can “better limit and prevent violence and sexual misconduct”. A full-range of self-defense skills tailored for men is also taught.
Women’s Transit, a program that provides rides for women who would otherwise walk alone at night, is also open to members of the gay and transgender community.
“These people are struggling between two communities, and with a multitude of identities,” Chastain, who is a Women’s Transit volunteer, said, “I fully support the decision to provide safe alternatives for people at risk.”


Contacts:
(all these interviews were conducted in person)
Jared Chastain (360) 708-9217
Officer Mike Petlovany (509) 335-8548
Mary Anderson 509-335-1856