Rape on the Rise, “Punishments” Include Probation and Counseling

Student mag: “At least four perpetrators of sexual assault known to the administration currently attend Carleton. At least two are serial offenders.”

On a Thursday morning in September 2008, students left their dorms to find messages like “Do YOU feel safe at Carleton?” and “Carleton Coddles Rapists” chalked on the walkways. Sexual Assault Survivors and Supports (SASS) took credit, explaining that even after filing complaints with the college, “We still do not have a complete understanding of the sanctions and decision-making process. We can’t get a straight answer from anyone.” By nightfall, the chalk had all been scrubbed away, the dean of students’ office explaining that it constituted “anonymous harassment.” But the critique wasn’t new. Reports of forced sex at Carleton had doubled from three in 2003, to six in 2004 to fourteen in 2005. Some optimistically said this was evidence that more students were coming forward, but in fact, most of the reports came from staffers at the Wellness Center. Standard punishments for sexual assault were probation and counseling. A year earlier, the Lens, an award-winning magazine started and run by Carleton students, had led an article with the jarring assertion, “At least four perpetrators of sexual assault known to the administration currently attend Carleton. At least two of them have been accused of later, further acts of sexual harassment or assault.” In “Rape by Any Other Name: How Lenient Sanctions, Discrepancies in Policy, and Campus Climate Allow Sexual Assault to Persist at Carleton,” three students gave accounts of their recent rapes at Carleton and their frustration with the complaint process and outcomes. There had been some progress. Students recruited men to participate in a rape-prevention program, and the policy was changed so having sex with someone incapacitated by alcohol was now considered sexual assault. But the administration still proudly pursued an “educational” approach to adjudication. “My sense is that individuals become educated because they are shocked to find themselves in violation of policy,” said a dean responsible for determining sanctions. But probation and counseling were hardly appropriate for rapists who drugged other students or committed serial offenses. Another problem for students was a system changed briefly in the 90s but since reinstated: all sexual assault complaints were adjudicated by just one person, the dean of students. Nearly every case was appealed. In the spring of 2009, about 80 students held a meeting to discuss their concerns and decided to coordinate a letter-writing campaign addressing the dean and the president’s cabinet. A month later, students, faculty, and staff gathered for a policy workshop. And in the fall, a task force began meeting regularly to review the current policy and draft potential strategies for change. They planned to present their recommendations to the College Council in March 2010.

Carletonian, May 18, 2007