The Volante
THE STUDENTS’ VOICE SINCE 1887
W E D N E S D AY, O C T O B E R 2 5 , 2 0 1 7
VOLANTEONLINE.COM
Students share #MeToo stories, advocate for victims Morgan Matzen
Morgan.Matzen@coyotes.usd.edu
“If all the women who have been sexually harassed or assaulted wrote ‘Me too’ as a status, we might give people a sense of the magnitude of the problem.” It was this tweet from Alyssa Milano, after dozens of women came out with accusations of sexual assault against Harvey Weinstein, that inspired more survivors to share the hashtag #MeToo and share their stories. This isn’t the first time this message has been used to start a conversation about sexual assault. Tarana Burke, an activist from New York, first started the “Me Too” movement more than 10 years ago as a way to empower young women survivors, especially women of color. “She tells a story about how a little girl shared her experience with her, and Tarana Burke didn’t know what to say and struggled to say the right thing when what she wanted to say was, ‘Me too,’” said Sara Lampert, assistant professor of history and program coordinator for women, gender and sexuality studies. Forty-five percent of Facebook users have had friends who posted “me too,” according to a CBS article. The hashtag was tweeted nearly 1 million times in 48 hours on Twitter, the article stated.
Alyssa’s story
Alyssa Fothergill is a sophomore secondary education major. She shared the #MeToo hashtag on Twitter last week, posting, “I’m a victim of sexual assault who is empowered to help other victims.” Fothergill said she experienced sexual assault at a Christmas party in December. She said as a victim, the blame for her assault was put on her because she went out that night. She said she believes blame is too often put on the victim for what
they were wearing or who they were with. “I was trying to leave a party and when I was walking outside, they had pulled me around the house and into a side door. It was in a dark room,” she said. “I didn’t see a face, I didn’t hear a voice, I couldn’t tell you who my assaulter was.” She tried to walk home, but she had to call a friend to pick her up because she couldn’t walk. Her first emotions after the assault were shock, fear and sadness. “It was like all of a sudden, there was this hole in my stomach that was just like the worst feeling in the world,” she said. “It was like I was frozen and didn’t know what to feel, just like everything hit me at once.” Fothergill said it ruined her thoughts and ate her alive. She eventually felt safe telling her friends and family, and they were understanding and supportive. “It eventually got to the point where I just felt like I couldn’t breathe,” she said. “It helped to just talk about it, just knowing that someone was there.” In May, Fothergill decided to start a chapter of PAVE on campus. PAVE is a national organization that promotes awareness and victim empowerment, with the mission of “shattering the silence of sexual violence,” according to the PAVE national website. “I knew that I wanted something like this on campus,” she said. “I found PAVE and I loved everything that they stood for. It’s a way to unite victims, to show that together, we are strong.” Fothergill reached out to Marisa Cummings, ICARE coordinator and faculty advisor, about starting a chapter at USD. “I was super excited that she wanted to start the student organization about bringing awareness to sexual assault,” Cummings said. “A lot of these movements are student-driven and student-led, See STORIES, Page A3
Photo Illustrations by Molly Schiermeyer I The Volante
#MeToo was tweeted a million times in 48 hours after Alyssa Milano first tweeted it. There were more than 12 million posts, comments and reactions on Facebook in less than 24 hours by 4.7 million users around the world. #MeToo is a way for survivors of sexual assault and harassment to share their story.
Students, community address domestic violence Lauren Soulek
Lauren.Soulek@coyotes.usd.edu
File Photo I The Volante
The student tailgate has been moved to the grassy area just south of the Sanford Coyote Sports Center.
Tailgate location, policies updated Lauren Soulek
Lauren.Soulek@coyotes.usd.edu
In addition to a new location, recent rules made by administration regarding student tailgate have been revoked. The tailgate has been moved to the grassy area just south of the Sanford Coyote Sports Center between Coyote Village and Dakota Street. USD President James Abbott called for a task force to decide how to address safety concerns regarding student tailgate. Previous home game tailgates saw injuries and damaged vehicles. Students were invited to the
meeting to give their opinions, Doug Wagner, director of the Muenster University Center and student programming, said. After the Dakota Days game, temporary changes were made to student tailgate, including the banning of trucks. “Administration kind of highlighted the problems that existed with tailgate and then we kind of said, ‘So what can we do to fix it?’ Obviously banning trucks isn’t going to work, but we also need to kind of reduce liability and the risk to students who go to tailgate,” Wagner said. Wagner said all previous tailgate policies will return to normal:
wristbands will still be distributed to students over 21, trucks will be allowed again and bags are subject to being searched. Teagan McNary and Josh Anderson, Student Government Association president and vice president, were among the students at the task force meeting last Thursday.
ONLINE ONLY Read the full story
with additional interviews about the tailgate’s new location and updated policies.
volante online. com
Yearlong efforts to fundraise and bring attention to the issue of domestic violence have seen an increase on campus and in the community during October, Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Bridget Diamond-Welch, assistant professor of political science, teaches a family violence class that looks at domestic violence and child abuse. She said domestic violence is a type of interpersonal violence that happens between family members and those in intimate relationships. “It’s not just physical,” Diamond-Welch said. “It’s also psychological, financial, emotional and basically what it boils down to is a system of power and control where one person in a relationship has power and maintains control over the other person through a variety of ways.” Diamond-Welch said recognizing this month brings attention to an ongoing issue. “It doesn’t just happen during October, but when we have ribbons
and we have a month that’s put aside for it, people who might not normally pay attention to it, pay attention to it,” she said.
Spreading the word
Every year the criminal justice club hosts fundraisers to collect money and supplies for families affected by domestic violence. Sierra Kamin, a first-year student studying psychology and criminal justice, is helping with the fundraiser this year. She said the club will stand in front of Hy-Vee and Walmart with a list of needs from Domestic Violence Safe Options Services in Vermillion. The group will be in front of Walmart from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday and at Hy-Vee from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Kamin said. “The shoppers buy anything on the list, they donate it to us and we give it to them,” Kamin said. “That way those who have been violated or assaulted have a different understanding of life.” Kamin said she hopes the drive brings more awareness to the month and issue. “This fundraiser definitely See MONTH, Page A3