Dear Editor,
I am concerned about assumptions made in your Sept. 17 editorial accusing LSU of ignoring unreported sexual assaults on campus. It is critical these issues be resolved so our university can come together to prevent future assaults and to encourage victims to report the crime and seek the help they need.
Sen. J.P. Morrell asked LSU to submit the number of sexual assaults reported on campus over the past five years. The number of on-campus assaults reported to LSU was 22. At no time, as you suggested, did we congratulate ourselves on this number being lower than the national average. I strongly feel, as I wrote in my report, even a single assault is one too many. As both the president of LSU and the father of two college-aged women – one here at LSU, one at the University of Wisconsin – this crisis hits very close to home.
We are aware there is a difference between the number of assaults reported and the number that took place. While we do not believe our reported number is inclusive of every assault on students that actually occurred, we are unable to provide help or support when an assault goes unreported. The gap between actual and reported sexual assaults speaks to an even larger problem – that many victims are scared to come forward, fearing repercussions.
As far as your assertion that the length of LSU’s report somehow reflects the priority it places on sexual assault prevention and response, nothing could be further from the truth. The inclusion of additional pages does not equate with the weight we place on an issue. Nothing is more important to any of us in the LSU community than the safety of our students. Period.
The Reveille is in a unique position to educate students and write informed, accurate stories on this topic. You can share the availability of campus resources from the Lighthouse Program to the CARE Team to the Dean of Students’ Office, and develop a dialogue among peers — the kind of dialogue that has more impact than any policy. Together, we must foster a campus community that protects every individual while empowering all to feel safe when speaking out. I’m asking you to use the influence you wield to make our campus a better place.
Let’s work together to address this problem. It’s the only way we can make real change.
F. King Alexander
LSU President and Chancellor