On 01 September, a large part of the first and second pages of the Lexington Herald-Leader was devoted to the fact that in a survey it was found that 1,053 students at the University of Kentucky said they had been sexually assaulted in one year but that fewer than half reported the assaults to any authority. The survey involved 24,382 students, who had to complete the questionnaire before being allowed to register for classes. This is ho-hum stuff, something sensitive people in academia gasp about frequently, with little or nothing done to change things, not least because people, not “things,” need to be changed to actually effect changes.
This is a women's issue, of course, and UK has just been listed, along with 132 other universities, for investigation by the federal government for its handling (mishandling?) of sexual assaults. Interestingly, 62.5% of assaults were reported as off-campus so the school could hardly be held accountable for those. More interestingly, 74.6% of the 830 students who provided details claimed that a fellow student was the miscreant, not surprising because roughly 13,000 respondents claimed to be in a “relationship,” euphemism for shacking-up or sleeping around, since college “relationships” can be so fleeting.
Seven percent (910) of these 13,000 co-habit folks reported physical violence from the partner(s) and 17% (2,210) reported serious psychological abuse, whatever that means, probably what anyone says it means. This totals 3,120 mistreated folks, probably 99.9% female, or 13% of the student population, or actually about 25% of the women students. There were amazing statistics relating to student remarks about the use of alcohol vis-a-vis sex-acts—what they had seen or heard—but they were suspect because the folks doing the reporting were probably deeply in their cups, as well, not too reliable.
This is what the UK president said: “This survey isn't a silver bullet; it is a bullet that has to pierce the hearts and minds of everybody on this this campus that has responsibility for one another and responsibility for the welfare of what is most precious to us, and that's our students.” How's that for stating the obvious? One might have expected the president to at least make some suggestions, but no—just a little pep talk. One hopes that he might advance some practical solutions to maybe the board of trustees, for instance.
He might start with a memo to the girls that they actually can think, despite the survey depicting them as “victims.” As long as they subscribe to “hormones-over-mind,” they're in trouble, giving their bodies to the male du jour, in the process being dumb as gourds. He might decree that coed dorms be abolished immediately, thereby putting his imprimatur on common sense instead of political correctness, never mind the elite female knucklehead-administrators/professors screaming NO MEANS NO.
He might suggest that “relationships” don't work because they're built on mutual sexual and/or other exploitation, not any deeply-felt caring, and that animals via instinct do sex but that humans are supposed to operate via thought, not instinct. He dare not mention God but perhaps might cite a “spiritual” approach remarking the sanctity of the body and that in later years the “loose” gal or guy—becoming wiser—will inevitably have regrets about having no moral compass while in college.
He could suggest that girls ignore the bistros off-campus and fraternities on-campus though that would be s-o-o-o old-fashioned and preachy. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly half of the reported 20 million STD-cases each year occur among those age 15-24. Is a guy or gal gonna tell before getting it on? Not likely, so dumbbells pay the price when abstinence is so much easier than remembering in a fit of passion to gasp a meaningless NO.
In January 2013, a coed at UK partied (went drinking) here and there with friends till about 2:00 a.m., whereupon she let a guy in her room supposedly to use the bathroom. She did the whole nine yards vis-a-vis forcible rape (choked into unconsciousness), rape-kit and all. He went free at warp-speed trial. She committed suicide a few months later. That says it all, ladies. Take responsibility for yourselves. There's no silver bullet.
And so it goes.
Jim Clark
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