A Black Eye on the Legacy of Honor
The recent killing of University of Virginia lacrosse player and student Yeardley Love, allegedly at the hands of her ex-boyfriend and fellow lacrosse player and student, George Huguely V, is a tragic chapter for my alma mater. Issues of dating violence, murder, sexual assault and stalking have long haunted the University of Virginia.
In 1984, when I was a freshman, I was drugged and gang-raped by a pack of three members of the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity at UVA. I did not know any of them. I remembered one of the rapes graphically -- the violence, the pain. The next day, when I awoke wrapped in a bloody sheet, thrown on a sofa, I went through the man's mail. I needed to know his name in order to report him. I sat across from the then Dean of Students, Robert Canevari, and told him what had happened to me. With the blood still leaking from me and my face bruised, he asked me, "Are you sure you didn't have sex with this man and you don't want to admit that you aren't a 'good girl'?"
There was no investigation, no paper trail and no prosecution, although I went to the hospital, Student Health, the Dean of Students, and the University Police and made dozens of reports. I was told by the Dean of Students that the Charlottesville Police had no jurisdiction over Phi Kappa Psi and was ordered not to call them. The deans said that they had spoken with the young man in question and told me "he said it was consensual." He, the rapist, withdrew from the University and was thus "no longer a danger" to me. I was told, in so many words and actions, to go away. I did not, but my life was diminished. I felt that I did not matter.
Rape and murder are also not considered violations of the University's Honor Code, established 15 years after Thomas Jefferson founded the school in 1825. The Honor Code's single sanction of expulsion is reserved for "lying, cheating and stealing." I would posit that rape or murder most certainly falls under stealing -- of a life, of one's dignity, of the promise of a life well-lived. Most of the time, issues of violence between students are adjudicated by student-run boards and not via law enforcement.
Twenty years later, that rapist wrote to me as part of his 12-Step recovery program. He got my home address by calling the University Alumni Office, which gave it to him with no questions asked. He had been following me via mailing address for nine years, he wrote. He was sorry he raped me. I contacted the Charlottesville Police, who told me that they indeed did have jurisdiction over where my crime had happened and that there was no statute of limitations in the Commonwealth of Virginia on felony rape. My rapist, who was represented by the same two attorneys now defending George Huguely, was charged, arrested and sentenced. He served less than six months for aggravated sexual assault. The others present at the time have evaded law enforcement.
In April 2010, three weeks before Ms. Love's murder, I was invited to speak at the annual "Take Back the Night" rally at UVA, which highlights the perils of violence against women. My fellow speaker was Dan Harrington, the father of Morgan, a Virginia Tech student who was abducted from a Metallica concert at UVA's John Paul Jones Arena and murdered in October 2009. No one has yet been charged in Morgan Harrington's death.
At the rally, I spoke of blame and responsibility. Blame for sweeping crimes against women under the rug. Blaming victims for going to concerts or parties or dating a fellow student. We are, I said, collateral damage, acceptable losses in the University's now-failed PR campaign that they are one of the best, most elite schools in the United States. A school with the best professors, brightest students and winningest sports teams. A school with well-heeled alumni who contribute handsomely to the endowment fund. A school where behavior like that of George Huguely's is given a free pass because students clearly do not know how to protect one another due to the fact that the University does not create an atmosphere where speaking up leads to action. Silence is now deadly. University of Virginia's outgoing President John Casteen's legacy will now be one of a gruesome murder under his watch.
So much has been made about this being a lacrosse issue, a rich white kid issue, an alcohol issue, an entitlement issue. While there may be a bit of truth there, to me, it's a University of Virginia issue. Because of the work I have done on behalf of campus survivors of crime, I know that Mr. Jefferson's Academical Village has a bigger problem than most campuses. Of course, violence is present at all colleges, but the University of Virginia administration's steadfast refusal to require the students to do anything that is mandatory beyond paying their fees and returning their library books before they graduate now looks like a deadly stance in the name of being a fully student-run University. While there are adult administrators, there is no sense of protection for young students. I spoke with the DA, and unlike many colleges, nothing is mandatory -- not even orientation. That's right: there are no requirements for students to have any education in sexual assault, dating violence, stalking, drug and alcohol abuse, eating disorders and depression -- all very much present on college campuses today.
This is not to say that there are not wonderful resources and programs available to address such issues at the University. There are. But not one member of the administration is willing to stick their neck out and tell students that they must receive this education.
I think that may change now.
For all of the heated talk about George Huguely's violent past and who knew or didn't know, or why friends or coaches did not intervene, the history of violence at Virginia comes down to this: responsibility. The parents, the students, and the administration must work together to ensure that there is a chain of responsibility so that violence never occurs again at UVA. I have no doubt that it will -- humans will be violent. But perhaps the numbers will be lower, the response will not be one of confusion and blame, and the Yeardley Loves, Morgan Harringtons and other victims of campus violence may receive the justice and compassion they so richly deserve.
Organizations like Take Back the Night are wonderful ways to highlight violence against women. My daughter was drugged by some high school friends while at home for spring break. We do not believe she was raped, but when she went to the hospital to get tested, we were told that we would have to pay for the tests (the city would not pay unless she charged her "friends" with rape prior to the tests). We gave up and went home, frustrated that the burden is placed on the woman.
Thank you for your article. I graduated from the University the same time that Yeardley should have walked the lawn. This is a great great tragedy for many communities across the United States and across the world. For UVa, however, it hits hard in a different way. I agree with you in my hopes that the legacy of Yeardley will live on to inspire students to speak up when problems occur. Yet I found some of what you wrote in your article contradictory to my own experience.
I was never directly involved in any assault-related or violence-related programs or organizations at the University, yet I never felt that the stage for discussing these issues was limited. As a first year, I attended a mandatory sexual assault lecture along with my dormmates. The talk and subsequent discussion was led by active and bright-eyed students. My RA's told me of all the resources available around the university for addressing and reporting violence.
In libraries and hallways, there were posters with numbers and resources of who to call and what to do. In my wallet, I carried a card with steps to take and hotlines to call. When I felt threatened in my home by two strangers who knocked on my door, the University police filed a report and sent extra patrols to my area for weeks.
I hope that all students will feel as taken care of as I did in my 4 years.
Liz, continue the fight. If UVA had taken you seriously, both Morgan Harrington and Yeardley Love would be alive, and a lot of young women would not have been abused in Charlottesville. 2 4 1 ok
University of Virginia does not have an honor code. Not “lying, cheating and stealing” is meaningless and without consequence. Some of highestlLeadership made a parody by openly breaking the “honor code” believing that that people are not created equal and that they are above it. An observer cannot confront given danger of marginalization and security loss.
If your ordeal paralleled others, Dean Canevari did know the circumstances and did quietly make him leave. His response to you is to silence. With open contempt, he lied about jurisdiction. You were alone and others in authority responded to make you more alone through the message you caused the problem.
“Transparency International” states “Corruption is the abuse of entrusted power for private gain .. hurting everyone whose life, livelihood or happiness depends on the integrity of people in authority.” UVAs parallel is tolerating dishonesty by those entrusted with power shaping an environment facilitating the latest act of violence. Further expected details of the additional circumstances will further showcase UVA’s instigating culture.
UVA will not reach a greatness until guiding principles are internalized greater that of the individual. Even a student should have ability without fear of repercussion to address even Canevari or Casteen that their behavior does not comply with the immutable guiding principles of the University.
jenn
He was severely beaten and stomped and left unconscious on the ground. He recognized his attackers, but the University and local authorities refused to do anything to really discipline his attackers. Little seems to have changed there over the past 160 years.
So yes, UVa will listen to victims, but it seems only if they meet certain criteria.
I was at Take Back the Night at UVA and got to hear your story!
Thank you for having the Courage to
SPEAK THE TRUTH! You are taking back "your" power!
Also a dedicated supporter of JUSTICE for MORGAN!
UVA has gotten off the hook, because there is so much to hate toward George Huguely V and his being a product of entitled wealth & lacrosse culture. Not to take anything away from the role that Huguely's upbringing & the tolerance of his behavior by his lacrosse teammates, but UVA certainly should be held accountable for failing to have any knowledge of his legal & campus history of dangerously aggressive behavior. The University owe it to the student body to make every effort to learn of criminal behavior in its student body and impose appropriate sanctions when a student has a run-in the law that could potentially hurt the greater good of the community. It should be a requirement in the school contract, that students agree to allow law enforcement share any legal run-ins with the University higher ups.
Any student charged with a major crime (not a misdemeanor) should be made to withdraw from campus without prejudice, until after the trial.
Had both of these policies been in place when Liz was raped, she would have had a much better shot at justice and personal safety while the investigation was ongoing.