One in four women in college will experience rape or attempted rape. On Friday, Aug. 15 2014, Cabrini College held the Policy Institute for the first time in its history. The conference centered around policies and actions that must take place if/when rape occurs on campuses, workplaces and organizations. The main objectives were to raise awareness and discuss best practices that abide by the state laws already in place. Another important aspect of the conference was not only dealing with rape at the moment that it happens, but also taking preventative measures in early education. Putting policy into practice has become imperative for campuses nationwide, as the statistics show. The Huffington Post reports that one in four women in college are raped. 54 percent of of rapes that happen are not reported.
The first six weeks of college are when women are most vulnerable to rapists. 90 percent of rapes include the use the alcohol or drugs, such as date-rape drugs.
At the Policy Institute, the main speaker was Katie Koestner, who was a victim of rape herself in her freshman year of college. Koestner recounted that she took the incident to the school and their actions did not satisfy her sense of comfort and well being. Koestner said that the school even suggested that she try to become friends with the man who had raped her. Not feeling comfortable, she chose to switch schools. Katie then chose to take her personal story to the nation media. Her family and those close to her were not in support of her decision to go public. She was also ashamed because of her faith and the judgement that she felt. Referencing her faith, Katie said, “God is compassionate and supportive.”
As she spoke at the conference, she shared that becoming a real face to the experience of rape was painful. She was always moving around, doing interviews and photo shoots and while she was still on campus, people made fun of her for being real and speaking up. To the attendees at the conference, she expressed her gratefulness to everyone for caring about her own experience and wanting to help others. She continued to remind the audience not to get too caught up in the technicalities or the rules of the policies that are put into place, but to remember to show compassion for the victims.
In a recent interview, Katie said that victims must “Find forgiveness in ourselves and others when we speak [with] courage.” She encourages students to not keep their rape a secret and start by telling someone that they trust.
