There are always a lot of grey areas
I think with sexual assault policies and with sexual assault itself, there are always a lot of grey areas - a lot of iffy things that don't make sense. And specifically, as a Black male, there has been a lot of cases - I'm sure we're all aware of false sexual assault claims. I mean, it's a tough thing to say, because, it’s part of victim-blaming, and we definitely want to make right or make justice where there are real sexual assault cases. But, even myself, you know, being a Black guy on a University sports team going to a predominantly white University, and having questionable issues where a girl might have been drunk or not too drunk, but my teammate might have thought she was aware, whatever the case is. Ultimately, at the end of it, he feels like he has [unclear]. Yeah, that’s kind of my statement. I think stuff like this should be raised more in these discussions because it happens a lot. Especially for young Black men.
Recommendations
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Ensure all sexual violence prevention and response education and training opportunities actively deconstruct victim-blaming, rape myths and gender norms. Ensure these sessions take an intersectional approach to understanding sexual violence and supporting victim/survivors.
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Address concern around wrongful accusations while developing new policies or training materials.
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Ensure educational materials and initiatives explore relationships between sexual violence and drugs/alcohol. These materials should be mindful of pressures to over-consume and the fact that some international students are unfamiliar with drinking culture. Ensure and/or highlight the fact that no student who discloses or reports sexual assault will be penalized for substance use related to the incident in question.
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Be aware of damaging assumptions about Black and Middle Eastern male sexuality; consider problematizing this form of bias in education and awareness campaigns. In working with students from these demographics in relation to a disclosure or report, demonstrate awareness that such biases exist, and demonstrate intention not to be swayed by such assumptions.