Locker Room Talk

                                                  Locker Room Talk

Shielding athletes accused of rape has become a tradition on college campuses and even in professional fields. It seems as though these players individual talents of strength, endurance and speed grant them higher status throughout our culture. A player's ability to win a game overpowers the justice for a victim. Even though no one in our society can go anywhere without reading the headlines of yet another rape incident - this epidemic continues to thrive. We as a whole have normalized this behavior and often granted it permission through silence and victim blaming. What these athletes have to offer their sponsors and corporations is much larger than the justice system and human rights... apparently.

I had high hopes and dreams for my institution before I arrived, however as a second semester freshmen I can already tell my parents fears for me were rightly placed. My own school, the one I once refused to believe was alike the rest - that I believed was on a higher moral ground breaks these very rules of equality in favor of the abuser. Being a female on a college campus I see this clearly, for my friends and I are at constant risk when going to parties or social gatherings. When my friend was assaulted last fall by a student athlete the first questions the Title IX office asked was what was she was wearing and if she was drinking. He was able to continue to prosper along with his swimming career as we watched our friend suffer the backlash of sharing her story. In reality she came forward all in hopes no one else would ever be his victim again - yet now he’s swimming at another college a state away with no permanent record to label him for what he truly is.

Athletes receive this god like status that puts them above the rest; a student athlete at Loyola University in Chicago was permitted into the school for 3 years even though he had a rape charge against him , a student was expelled at Cousino High School after filing a rape charge against the school's star player, student athelets at Baylor University reportedly used gangrape experience as a “bonding moment.” These were just three of the hundreds of articles that came up when I googled “athlete rape”.

Rape on educational grounds is already a difficult, traumatizing situation in itself- but the close proximity the victim constantly has with their abuser amplifies the intensity. Often sexual behavior (violent or not) is awarded by fellow teammates or “brothers” this turns into a gratifying experience where the abuser becomes a repeated offender.

Often this behavior is labeled as locker room talk, or boys will just be boys. But excusing this behavior is the reason why it’s accumulated into a national crisis that needs to be addressed now rather than later. I can appreciate the agility and graceful performances that these athletes put into their sport, but the era of athletes doing no wrong must be brought to an end. The media, coaches, and parents of these athletes (along with the athlete themselves) must be held accountable for their actions. Locker room talk is no longer an excuse. Boys cannot just be boys if it leads to violent behavior. Athletes need to hold each other accountable, high schools, colleges, and professional institutions need to be held accountable. The corporations that allow athletes to rape and commit these acts of violence continue to fuel the fire and set a precedent that rape is okay if you’re high on the social hierarchy. Athletes are not worth more. Victims are not worth less.

(What made me want to talk about athletics in regard to rape was our class discussion about the rape cases that happened on our campus that involved a student athlete - this letter was extremely powerful and put into words the feelings and emotions that I believe a lot of people didn't know how to express. This is a true issue, not just on our campus but around the world and addressing it is only the first step of many.)

References:

D'Amico, Dana. “An Open Letter to Mullen.” The Campus, 2018,    alleghenycampus.com/15524/opinion/an-open-letter-to-mullen/.

Messer, Olivia. “Baylor Athletes Used Gang-Rapes as 'Bonding' Experience: Lawsuit.” The Daily Beast, The Daily Beast Company, 18 May 2017, www.thedailybeast.com/baylor-athletes-used-gang-rapes-as-bonding-experience-lawsuit.

 Post, The Washington. “Outcry at Loyola after Students Learn Athlete Accused of Rape Was Enrolled for Three Years.” Chicagotribune.com, 21 Dec. 2016, www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-loyola-athlete-accused-rape-enroll-20161220-story.html.

White, Max. “Student Expelled after Reporting Rape by Star Athlete, Lawsuit Alleges.” WXYZ, 6 Feb. 2017, www.wxyz.com/news/student-expelled-after-reporting-rape-by-star-athlete-lawsuit-alleges.