IVORY TOWERS: Sex '90s style

At Antioch College in Ohio, students are expected to give and receive verbal consent for every step and type of sexual contact Across the nation, campus sexual health educators have long been working to create an atmosphere where sexual partners communicate more openly. While many campuses have policies that punish criminal acts such as rape or sexual harassment, most bedroom behavior cannot be covered by university policy. That is, until recently at Antioch College, where administrators and students have combined to produce the Antioch College Sexual Offense Policy. The policy, which has been hailed as both a novel and noble attempt to monitor student's sexuality, has also met with controversy. At issue is a "Consent Clause" which not only calls for verbal consent for sex, but for every step and type of sexual contact leading up to intercourse. The Antioch policy reads, "Verbal consent should be obtained with each new level of physical and/or sexual contact/conduct in any given interaction regardless of who initiates it." Antioch produced the controversial policy after a series of date rapes shook the campus in 1991. The rash of sexual violence left many students angry and frightened and, in response to student protest, the administration worked feverishly to produce a policy that would assuage student fears. However, the administration's efforts resulted in a policy that many students found inadequate, further raising the ire of students. Tension continued to mount on the small campus in Yellow Springs, Ohio, until June 1992, when administrators agreed to meet with students and work together to formulate the college's unique sexual offense policy. The goal of the administrators and students was not to produce a restrictive document, but rather one which safeguarded and respected the rights of the entire community, Antioch officials said. Antioch's policy aims for students to communicate their feelings and start a healthy dialogue with their partners, said Karen Hall, the director of the sexual offense prevention and survivors advocacy program at Antioch. "The policy educates," Hall said. "It creates a framework for relationships. There needs to be respect with on-going communication throughout relationships." No formal charges have been filed since the revised policy went into effect in June 1992, but Hall said Dean of Students Marian Jensen has had frank discussions with several students. Elena DiLapi, director of the Penn Women's Center, said the Antioch policy "creates awareness." "I think that the policy is a reflection of how bad things have gotten if there is a need to legislate how people relate to one another," said DiLapi, who counsels students who are sexually assaulted. "It's a sad statement on where we are in terms of relationships." While the policy seems to be popular at Antioch College – a small liberal arts college with 700 students – it is difficult to predict how similar legislation would be received at larger institutions. Some University students said the Antioch policy would be an unenforceable bureaucratic measure that would have little impact on campus relationships. Furthermore, many students believe the Antioch sexual offense policy is too unrealistic to work at the University. "Relationships don't work that way," Wharton freshman Lindsey Ollman said. "If you had to ask someone, 'Can I kiss you?' it ruins the moment." Ollman added that the problem with all sexual offense policies is they are difficult to understand and grasp. "It all gets so technical," she said. "No one is ever clear on what the policy is saying. The policy should be to simply respect other people, but I know it is a difficult thing to define." "[This type of policy] takes the element of caring and compassion and love out of the matter entirely," College sophomore Alex Wipert said. "It makes it a mechanical act." Wipert added, however, that the issue of sexual violence does not get enough attention on campus. "I think [sexual harassment and offenses] are a problem on Penn's campus," she said. "Women in general don't feel completely comfortable. Something has to be done." Ollman added that many people at the University "don't really care." She said that the University has to have these policies because everyone "would be screaming" if such a policy did not exist on campus. An informal survey of several dozen University students supports Ollman's claim that students on campus are unaware or apathetic towards the issue. More than 50 of the students surveyed were unfamiliar with the University's present sexual harassment or sexual violence policy. According to Policies and Procedures 1992-1994: "Acquaintance rape/sexual violence is defined as any act in which a member of the university community forces another with whom he or she is acquainted to engage in sexual activity against her or his will or without her or his consent." "Assent shall not constitute consent if it is given by a person who because of youth, mental disability or intoxication is unable to make a reasonable judgement concerning the nature of or harmfulness of the activity," Policies states. The punishments for violating the University's policies on sexual violence include suspension or expulsion from the University. "That is of great concern that there is a lack of awareness," DiLapi said. "But I do hope that those who have been affected by rape or sexual violence know there are resources available at Penn." Hall said the issue has not received enough consistent attention nationwide and admitted that many Antioch students might not be able to discuss their policy in detail. But she noted that all 700 students at the school know the highlights of the policy. "Right now we're in a media blitz," she said. "We are a very small school and have a good idea of what's going on here. But other larger schools may have only one person dealing with the issue for many more students. We also have the full support of the administration, and I am not sure that would be true at other colleges." Although the issues of sexual harassment and sexual violence have not been permanent fixtures in the media, the issue has received considerable attention in the past. Cases such as the Clarence Thomas Supreme Court nomination hearings, the Senator Robert Packwood (R-Ore.) investigations, and boxer Mike Tyson's trial have all focused attention on the issue of rape and sexual harassment. Thomas was approved by the Senate last year for a seat on the Supreme Court, despite sexual harassment allegations made by Anita Hill. Packwood is still serving in the Senate, but is currently under investigation for sexual harassment charges filed by several aides and congressional staffers. Tyson is serving a prison sentence after he was found guilty of raping Desiree Washington at the Miss Black American Pageant in Indianapolis. His attorney is still attempting to get the former world heavyweight champion released from prison. But Hall said Sunday that the attention these cases bring to the issue has both positive and negative affects. "These examples are a double-edged sword," she said. "They draw attention to the issue, but women see other women not being supported but instead being attacked for [going public with charges.] It brings attention to the issue, but just may keep other women from coming forward." Hall also claims that the verbal consent policy is nothing new. She added that while other colleges have been teaching verbal consent for years, Antioch was the first to put it in writing. Still, Hall insists that a more concerted effort must be made to inform students of the potential dangers they face at college. She said that she hopes her program at Antioch will reduce the number of incidents at the school. "Students must attend a required seminar during new student orientation," she said. "They can learn policy, how to access resources and learn about prevention. Every school needs a program to deal with survivors' needs and make students aware." The University offers many programs that discuss issues of sexuality and sexual violence. Students Together Against Acquaintance Rape holds regular programs in dormitories and for fraternities, but none of these programs is mandatory. The freshmen class, however, did attend a sociodrama during orientation which dealt with many campus issues including acquaintance rape. College sophomore Wipert said that the addition of more sexual awareness programs at the University would be a "very good idea." "It would help each student to know what's out there to protect them and their rights as a human being," she said.