Colleges Should Treat Sexual Assault and Hate Crimes Equally

The U.S. has achieved worldwide recognition for its higher learning institutions, which are both quintessentially American and attractive to international students. However, little attention has been paid to campus security and gender discrimination at American colleges until Yale University, the venerated bastion of higher education, was embroiled in a Title IX complaint filed earlier this year.

This suit proves that sexual harassment, assault, and rape are widespread, even on the most prestigious campuses, because of a misogynistic culture that most administrations have not challenged. The adage “actions speak louder than words” should echo throughout Yale’s halls; condemning sexual harassment in the strongest terms is no longer enough. All universities should have a zero-tolerance policy for assault and rape, one that mirrors strict hate crime legislation to show their students they are serious about safety. 

The misogynistic climate hit a new low at Dartmouth College earlier this year when the song “Out of Control” was e-mailed to the entire student body as a commentary on their campus’ environment for women, with the lyrics:

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