Monday April 22:
We began the meeting talking about the first Firebrand issue that was distributed today.
- Some student complaints were:
- Too much profanity
- Think more deeply about what we are writing
- Some student support:
- Liked the passion seen in the issue
- Able to identify with issues being addressed
- Professor support:
- Many faculty members were supporting it and happy to see Butler University students taking such initiative.
- Things to think about
- We need some sorority/fraternity writers
- Writers who aren’t white and who have different backgrounds, since our first publication was written by an all white staff
- We want to be inclusive and not leave any voices out!
Student Forum on Rape Culture
- It was an hour and forty five minutes and was recalled as being very intense and a lot to think about
- Demia recounts:
- Sally Click started with not being able to comment on certain instances legally
- Ben Hunter talked about Uniform Crime Reporting and went over the different laws and acts that must be followed on reporting and handling sexual assault
- He discussed out right arrests and summons and the different actions that are taken for cases
- Consent was not clearly addressed so it was not seen as a real problem to be discussed, but Demia wishes it could have been expanded upon.
- There were complaints of Demia members who feel Butler needs to make their own consent policy, since Indiana doesn’t have one.
- A lot of discussion was around victim and suspect rights
- Timely warnings were also discussed and it was elaborated on what is classified as a timely warning and what isn’t
- **We need to think about beyond the individual cases and look at the systemic problems, while still supporting the individual victims
- Sara Barnes shared some of her initiatives and listened to Demia’s issue with Red Cup Culture and took the criticism that good intentions are there, but needs help.
- Ben Hunter made a comment how there has only been one this year, but many Demia members were frustrated because rape happens on this campus a lot more times than is being reported.
- He seemed to be on the defensive against students and professors who suggested ideas. He also had read the Firebranders publication and that seemed to be what made him on the defense from the beginning.
- Demia members’ felt like we need a list of things we want to see done and how we might be able to accomplish so.
- **If you are interested in this, then email Kate Siegfried or Viviane Linos if you will be here this summer to work on this project.
- Members had issues with how most solutions were more punishments to the perpetrator and no real transformational ideas on how to solve the problem were given. No real radical ideas were given.
- Faculty Senate will be tomorrow in JH 141 at 8am about the forum that took place today.
- Possibly doing a survey to show that there is lack of knowledge about rape culture and how it needs to be addressed on campus.
- Have people define rape, consent, etc. to show how little people know.
- Possibly doing a survey to show that there is lack of knowledge about rape culture and how it needs to be addressed on campus.