From the Newsstands: This article appeared in The Eagle’s December 2025 print edition which can be viewed here.
The following piece is an opinion and does not reflect the views of The Eagle and its staff. All opinions are edited for grammar, style and argument structure and fact-checked, but the opinions are the writer’s own.
Editor’s Note: This article contains references to sexual violence and sexual assault.
Sexual violence on college campuses is a pervasive issue. One in five women are sexually assaulted while in college. For American University alone, that is nearly 1,000 of our peers.
While organizations on campus are committed to prevention and survivors’ rights, the University support for action against sexual violence is fleeting. To only care when a horrific event is broadcast across campus is not enough. Research shows that less than a third of rape sexual assault survivors seek resources, meaning there are likely unreported incidents of sexual violence occurring on our campus nearly every day.
We must demand that the University express commitment to engaging with students whose experiences can shape prevention efforts and increase support for survivors.
In the fall of 2022, a tragic and frightening incident of sexual violence took place in Leonard Hall. While the perpetrator was arrested and pleaded guilty, the University did not take adequate action despite mass calls from students to do so during the campus-wide walkout.
In response to the University’s continued inaction, students organized a second protest the following year. Except for working groups and an amnesty policy, which allows students to report sexual violence without repercussions for substance use, most demands from the 2022 walkout remain unmet.
The amnesty policy has many flaws, including having stipulations for survivors that should not exist.
There are multiple instances of students being inappropriately recorded or touched on campus since the last demonstration. These represent a glimpse of the unreported incidents of sexual violence. There has been no widespread call for action.
AU students have reported inept behavior from the Office of Equity and Title IX in campus instances of sexual violence. Students are constantly faced with apathetic, pitiless staff interactions and long wait times, which may put individuals seeking help at increased risk.
The Title IX office’s commitment to “trauma-informed practices” and “transparent access to the process for addressing and resolving matters” makes it responsible for ensuring that students feel supported and safe.
I would be remiss not to implore the University again to implement the Survivor Bill of Rights. Students must not lose sight of issues just because they don’t dominate campus conversations.
To leave the University a better place than we found it, we must continue to make demands until we see meaningful change.
Alice Still is a senior in the School of Public Affairs and a columnist for the Eagle.
This article was edited by Quinn Volpe, Alana Parker and Walker Whalen. Copy editing done by Sabine Kanter-Huchting, Emma Brown, Emma Brown, Arin Burrell, Paige Caron and Andrew Kummeth. Fact-checking done by Aidan Crowe.
