University students and alumni voiced their outrage Monday night at a statement made by LSUPD spokesperson Lieutenant Kevin Scott in the April 6 issue of The Daily Reveille. The group’s rally in the Live Oak Lounge drew a crowd peppered with spiritual leaders, law students and campus activists.
In the article, titled “Vast majority of LSUPD rape reports since 2010 fall on gamedays, gameday weekends,” Scott is quoted as saying in reference to commonly cited sexual assault statistics, “If you surveyed 100 girls, or 1,000 female students on LSU’s campus, will you really see one in five that say they’ve been sexually assaulted, if they’re really being honest? Is that accurate? I mean, look at the numbers.”
Organizer Peter Jenkins, a University alumni, echoed the sentiment of the LSU Survivors: Response Rally’s Facebook event page, stating the rally sought to quell Scott’s “hurtful and heinous comments.” When authority figures make statements like Scott’s, Jenkins said survivors feel less comfortable coming forward in situations where they are already uncomfortable.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s one in 100 or everyone,” Jenkins said. “The point is, it’s still happening.”
In a statement provided by LSU Media Relations Director Ernie Ballard, Scott addressed his concerns that his comments had been misinterpreted and responded to issues discussed during the rally.
“Sexual assault is something that we take very seriously at LSU, and I’m glad to see that the LSU community is concerned about this issue,” Scott said in the statement. “As I said previously, I have worked throughout my career to encourage the reporting of crimes such as sexual assault and to make the LSU campus a safer place for all, and I would never question the honesty of a victim. The way I was quoted in The Reveille is not at all what I was trying to say, and while I certainly didn’t mean to create a misunderstanding, I am glad that so many are speaking out about this issue and taking a stand.”
Jenkins opened the floor for discussion on the subject, and survivors and concerned students alike offered personal anecdotes, talking points and possible solutions to problems looming over campus culture. Solutions ranged from promoting Lighthouse volunteering efforts to performing “flash demonstrations” during campus tours.
University United Methodist Church youth director Stew Craig regularly attends Sexual Trauma Awareness and Response classes to become more cognizant of the issue. While Craig said he sees “steps being made” both on campus and in his church, he said rallies like the one held Monday night allow people to “connect a face to a name.”
Craig said he has spoken with the Lighthouse program about offering sexual assault awareness classes for high school students about to enter college. Rally attendees agreed the church would be an ideal place to host these sessions.
Sexual assault survivor Lynn Espinoza said she approached a once-trusted high school teacher with her experience, to which the teacher asked why the police should waste their resources on her claims when they need to prioritize more important cases.
“Sex is treated such a different way in our society that it’s difficult to talk about,” Espinoza said.
Though he agreed with the sentiments expressed in the group discussion, University law student Gabriel Loupe said a strong interplay between sexual assault and substance abuse exists.
Jenkins said there have been talks about including a sexual assault awareness module in addition to the proposed alcohol safety training expected to hit season football ticket holders’ online applications in the fall.