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Dissatisfied With School's Response, Howard Student Starts Rape Awareness Group

By Christina M. Wright
Black College Wire

Photo credit: Derell Smith/the Hilltop Banneker Field is across the street from the Howard Plaza Towers, a dormitory for upperclassmen and graduate students.

Two weeks after she says she was robbed and sexually assaulted, and dissatisfied with Howard University's response, a Howard student has mobilized to make sure no female ever has a similar experience.

"If we can get the word out that rape does exist, then, in theory, things like this can be either prevented, or women who survive rape can come forth to report it," the North Carolina native said.

Like most news organizations, Black College Wire does not generally identify those who say they are sexual assault victims. The student and her friend were talking at Banneker Field, near the university, at about 10:30 p.m. on April 6, a night she says now replays in her nightmares.

This is the student's account of what took place:

Three men approached the women, but were politely dismissed. The ladies proceeded to the bleachers, where the same three men, this time masked, approached them again and insisted the women hand over the money that college students "always have."

The students relented and released their valuables. After the robbery, one of the assailants assaulted the alleged victim, while the others forced her friend to watch. While trying to escape, the men told the women not to scream or they would be hurt. When passing sirens scared the men away, the women ran to a group of members of Omega Psi Phi, who were close by but not within eyesight of the bleachers. The Omegas called the authorities.

The student, friend Kathleen Gough and two other women are starting an organization to reach out to the women of Howard and the District of Columbia. The alleged victim said she would like to invite to the city the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network or the "Speak Up. Speak Out" public awareness campaign against sexual assault.

The goal of the new organization would be to encourage women to report when they are sexually assaulted. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, three times the number of reported assaults are unreported.

The alleged victim said she believes this incident might be related to a recent string of robberies near Howard.

Asked if the rape and the robbery were connected, Howard officials responded that the university does not comment on "notions."

Both the Campus Police and the Metropolitan Police Department ignored the women's insistence that they could accurately describe the assailants and neither pursued those descriptions, according to the student.

"We saw all three of their faces minutes before," she said.

At press time, the Metropolitan Police Department had not returned calls about the investigation.

Banneker Field is technically not part of Howard University's campus, although it is across the street from the Howard Plaza Towers, a dormitory for upperclassmen and graduate students. Therefore, Campus Police were not required to take a statement from the student.

The student and those backing her also say the university has not tried to inform the student body of the incident, even absent her name and other details.

"It definitely should have been put out there," she said. "This is so close to home. Especially for the people that live in the Towers. If they knew, they would be more cautious."

Although students were not told of the specific incident, a university statement said students are continually advised of safety awareness issues.

Howard "offers safety tips for use both on and off campus, such as using shuttle and escort services provided by the University; traveling along well-lit routes; avoiding isolated, dark and unpopulated areas whenever possible; avoiding unsafe areas where one may be easily victimized," the statement said.

Metropolitan police collected the remaining property of the two women to capture fingerprints of the assailants. According to Howard officials, the Metropolitan Police Department has an open, ongoing investigation of the case.

Against her mother's advice, the student has decided to proceed with plans to take a year off from school and work in the city because she "would rather not run away" from her fears.

Anyone looking for someone to reach out to or who would like to join the student in her outreach efforts may e-mail [email protected].

Christina M. Wright, a student at Howard University, writes for the Hilltop.

Posted April 24, 2006