Trigger warning: sexual assault
It has come to our attention that The Columbia Daily Spectator published an op/ed that sought to delegitimize the experiences of survivors of sexual violence whose experiences don’t conform to traditional rape narratives. Included in this article was imagery alluding to No Red Tape’s Days on Campus action last year when we projected “rape happens here” on Low Library. In the article, a question mark was inserted at the end, insinuating that because certain survivors’ experiences don’t fit the author’s definition of sexual assault, they aren’t worthy of inclusion in conversations about the epidemic of sexual violence on campus.
We find this article and its attempted appropriation of our action abhorrent. All survivors have the right to be recognized, regardless of their identity, the identity (or identities) of their perpetrator(s), and the physical actions that occurred during their assault.
To all survivors whose experiences were mocked in the article, we at No Red Tape want to affirm that your experiences matter. You deserve recognition, support, and safety, and we’ll continue to advocate for your rights on campus until all types of sexual violence are eradicated and all survivors are supported.
