Students will protest against rape culture at OU next week in Evans Hall in response to President David Boren’s comments about sexual assault in a recent Daily article.
Students will congregate in the Unity Garden at 1:45 p.m. Oct. 11 and march to Evans Hall at 2 p.m., where they will present a list of demands to Boren.
In an Oct. 3 story about OU sexual assault research, Boren said: “We try to really train students about (sexual violence), and you try to also say, 'Don't get yourself in a situation where you're incapable of saying no.’”
Sociology sophomore Kelsey Morris, who organized the protest, said she particularly wanted to call attention to the issue of victim-blaming after Boren’s comments.
“One of the biggest problems in rape culture is blaming victims for what happens to them,” Morris said. “I was just shocked that someone in such a high position of authority and someone with so much influence would say something like that.”
Morris said protesters will present Boren with four immediate demands and three longer-term demands to show a commitment to ending campus sexual assault, and students will occupy Evans Hall until they are able to meet with Boren.
Drawing on her experience working in the Rape Crisis Center of Norman’s Women’s Resource Center, Morris said one of the demands will be to hear Boren say “I believe you.” The other demands will be shared Tuesday, she said.
“I have those words tattooed on my arm,” Morris said. “That's the first thing I say to every one of my clients who've just been assaulted, because that's a big fear in a lot of people's hearts that people are just going to accuse them of lying. Just saying, 'I believe you,' can go so far.”
Update 9:15 a.m. Oct. 8: OU press secretary Corbin Wallace said Boren would be out of town on the day of the protest for meetings in Oklahoma City and Clinton about State Question 779, the penny tax.
