Sexual assault is never an easy issue to talk about. But it’s also an issue that’s important to discuss. The more that people are able to have honest and open conversations about sexual assault, the easier communities will find it to create a culture where such behavior is not tolerated.
This year, sexual assault has been a prominent issue on Penn’s campus because of several reported incidents in the fall. In response to these incidents, student groups have stepped up their efforts to engage in dialogue. Earlier in the school year, we praised some of the initiatives that groups took right after the reported assaults.
But we are also grateful that as the year has gone on, programs designed to raise awareness and spark conversation about sexual assaults hasn’t stopped. Whether they are new initiatives such as the upcoming Penn Monologues or annual events like Thursday’s Take Back the Night, these programs are ensuring that students do not forget about this serious problem as time goes by.
Even when sexual assaults on campus aren’t making headlines, people need to engage in dialogue about the topic. Sexual assault is frequently unreported, and unfortunately happens much more often than many people realize.
We encourage all students to attend events that draw attention to sexual assault and to speak their mind. If students become more comfortable talking about matters like these, hopefully future sexual assaults can be prevented.
