According to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network, 54 percent of sexual assaults are not reported to the police and 97 percent of rapists never spend a day in jail.
Landen Gambill, a sophomore at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, faces possible expulsion due to an Honor Code violation for “disruptive or intimidating behavior” toward her alleged rapist. She has spoken to the press and filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights.
[quote]Let that sink in. Gambill is accused of intimidating a man who allegedly raped her. She faces expulsion for refusing to let him get away with it.[/quote]
On top of this, the UNC Chapel Hill Honor Court, the organization to which Gambill reported her case, claims she mishandled the situation by publicly criticizing the university. In a December edition of The Daily Tar Heel, Gambill claimed that the Honor Court “victim blamed” her.
To put Gambill’s story in perspective, imagine your laptop is stolen. You decide to report it and talk to your RA who replies, “You should have locked your door.” You contact campus security and they respond with invasive questions. What if you knew who stole your computer but couldn’t prove it or no one would believe you? Would you be ashamed? Would you be outraged? This is what sexual assault victims who choose to testify have to endure.
Some argue Gambill’s issue is between her and her alleged rapist or her and the university and should be dealt with on a more personal level, but they are ignoring the fact that Gambill’s experiences are not unique. By bringing this issue to national attention, Gambill is taking a stand in the hopes that she will not only change the way UNC Chapel Hill deals with sexual assault cases, but the way such issues are addressed at universities across the country.
If Gambill is expelled, what will this say to future victims of sexual assault? If women are afraid to report these issues, how can anything change? How will offenders face consequences? How will victims find peace?