Recently published by Rolling Stones was an article called “A Rape on Campus: A Brutal Assault and Struggle for Justice at UVA”, which has been getting a lot of publicity. The story, unfortunately, is like many we’ve heard before. A girl, raped by multiple men in a gang rape, discouraged from taking action against those who should be held accountable. Why is this girl afraid to take action? People often point fingers in wrong directions. I don’t believe Jackie, the girl in the article, or the entire Greek organization at UVA should be blamed, but perhaps the system itself should be.

The phrase, “the girl who cried rape” is thrown around a lot. When a girl is victimized by a crime so heinous, why shouldn’t she speak up about what happened? Why shouldn’t that girl be given justice? Why shouldn’t the guilty be held accountable? Someone who has been through a traumatic experience such as rape, should not be torn down for wanting justice. He or she should not be the one feeling ashamed, or unworthy. A person who has been raped, or anybody for that matter, should not have to face abuse for wanting justice.

Jackie, the main subject of the article, claimed to be a victim of gang rape. Often, people do not realize the effect their words can have on others. After Jackie was raped, she called up some of her close friends. To her surprise, they discouraged her from taking action and going public because they were worried about their image and social life. The administration at UVA also did a poor job of handling the case, which is the reason this is getting so much publicity. Instead of automatically reporting the assault, the administration tried to hush it up, or so it seemed. Whether this case is valid or not is unknown, however fingers usually always point in the wrong direction. Women are often discouraged from taking action. The people around the victimized are not supportive and often judgmental. People are always quick to point fingers.

In the wake of this article, many people were pointing fingers towards Greek life. Statistics of how fraternity men reportedly rape more than men that aren’t in a fraternity were being brought up. I believe these allegations are misplaced. If the case is found to be valid, then the individual men within the fraternity that committed the crime should be held accountable, but it’s not fair to stereotype all of Greek life in bad light.

I believe that the administration of the University of Virginia has handled the situation poorly. It is the duty of the faculty and administration of UVA to protect its students and aid them in times of crises. UVA is now working with the local police to set a procedure in place that will be followed in situations similar to this case. The school has always been a prestigious institute, so it’s only natural they look out for their reputation, but at what cost?
If Jackie’s case is proved to be true, then the men who assaulted her should be held responsible. The main issue is the way that UVA handled the situation, and they are finally putting a system in place. Regardless of the validity of Jackie’s case, it is unfortunately true that the women and men who are raped are often put down. Why should they feel ashamed while their abusers walk freely? I can only hope that someday we will become more aware and educated with the horror of rape, and will one day see victims receive the support and justice they deserve.