Assaults reported near University

Within the past couple of weeks the University announced a report of sexual assault and an attempted rape located near the NYC campus.

The sexual assault took place Feb. 22 at approximately 11 p.m. on Gold Street between Fulton Street and John Street.

As a result of the first report, another student came forward with the report of an attempted rape that took place Feb. 21 at approximately 9:30 p.m. in the area of Pine Street and William Street.

After months of pressure from students and professors, the University recently began notifying the student body of student sexual violence reports.

“I like the reports because at least I'm being kept up to date,” junior Shannon Smith said. “It's our safety.”

“The reports are good in a sense that they're letting us know what's happening, that we're not clueless,” senior Tiffany Williams said.

In response to these assaults, University security and the New York Police Department (NYPD) held a community meeting on March 1 in the Michael Schimmel Center for the Arts to address sexual violence at the University and throughout Precinct 1, where the University is located.

Students heard from Director of General Services Richard Abbinanti, University Director of Safety and Security Vincent Beatty and Police Officer Joseph Bellomo.

Students were advised on “common sense” things to remember to avoid being a victim of sexual assault such as knowing your surroundings, not walking around listening to iPods, knowing what stores are open late at night, sticking to well-lit streets and not over- drinking to “make yourself a harder target,” as Beatty said.

Students were told by Officer Bellomo to do such things as vomiting or urinating on themselves if facing sexual violence because it's a “big turn-off.”

It was further advised that female victims tell the perpetrator that she is on her period or is HIV positive.

“This is an issue that society needs to address. It happens on college campuses, so colleges need to respond,” senior Whitney Macdonald said. “By not addressing sexual violence properly, Pace is perpetuating the problem.”

Students are asking that another community meeting be held with a panel of speakers that better reflects the office, the presence of the counseling center, better advertising and at a less dangerous hour.

Many students were unaware of the community meeting and only found out about it the next day.

“An RA told me there were flyers about the community meeting on the bulletin boards in the dorms,” sophomore Amanda Corsaro said. “I went to every single floor in John Street and couldn't find a single one.”

“They didn't have flyers in the [St. George Residence] dorm,” junior Kathleen Black said.
Meanwhile students are organizing to address sexual violence on their own.

On March 9 the Women and Gender studies department and Students Organized Against Rape (SOAR) will be having a gender-based discussion on rape and sexual assault and how to keep people safe from gender violence in light of the recent reports. Professors and counselors will be present and the event will be student moderated.

National Public Radio (NPR) recently launched a series of stories to investigate sexual violence on college campuses with reporters from the Center for Public Integrity. Joe Shapiro, the lead reporter for the series, was asked about how colleges and universities are addressing sexual violence.

“Typically, the school teaches students how to reduce their risk.” Shapiro said. “But there are problems with that kind of risk reduction strategy because it puts all the responsibility on the woman.”

Shapiro continued to explain other methods of addressing sexual violence that may be more promising. “It's called bystander education, so the idea is that you teach everyone, men and women, what they can do to prevent sexual assaults and also to teach them that they have a responsibility to do so,” Shapiro said.

Other events to address gender-based violence will be held on campus during the upcoming month.

On March 19 from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Lecture Hall North, Student Development and Campus Activities (SDACA) and SOAR will co-sponsor a film of media clips of women portrayed in the media in 21st century with discussion about whether women identify with way women are portrayed.