For many, the first day of school evokes nervousness about meeting new teachers, new classmates, and having to adjust to new standards, rules, and information. However, one thing that no one should ever be forced to worry about on their first day is their safety. Despite this, it is a reality for many women on college campuses. With the increased publicity that the Cornell 7 case has received, our society is once again confronting the prevalence of sexual assault that often goes unaddressed on college campuses. The case of the Cornell 7 is just one example in a long list of cases in which college students commit violence against others and walk away without facing repercussions. These stories can no longer be swept under the rug. It is crucial that we stand up in the face of injustices and confront them head-on, just as Emma Sulkowicz did so many years ago.
On the first day of her sophomore year at Columbia University, Emma Sulkowicz was raped in her own dorm room. She originally decided not to report what was done to her. But after hearing similar stories from two other women about the same man, she decided to come forward. However, this attempt to seek justice and protect other women on campus was unsuccessful, with her case and those of the other women dismissed. Although she had to relive her assault through a painful proceeding and was forced to listen to her assailant recount a fictional tale of what had happened, she still received no justice. However, Sulkowicz refused to settle and remained silent. She decided it was her responsibility to spread awareness not only of the actions of the man who had raped her, but also the inaction of the university as well.
For her senior art thesis, Sulkowicz lugged a 23-kilogram mattress across campus everywhere she went in a piece she titled Carry that Weight. Similar to the one which her attack had taken place on, the mattress served as a symbol for the heavy weight that our society leaves on victims of rape and sexual assault. Though her project entailed not being allowed to request help from others, she was allowed to accept it, which is exactly what she did.
In fact, others helped her carry the mattress across the graduation stage. She vowed not to end her piece until her rapist left campus, either of his own volition or through expulsion from the university. Since neither ended up occurring, Sulkowicz kept her word and hauled her 23 kilogram blue mattress across the stage. This served as a powerful moment, symbolizing that when victims are not met with the justice they deserve, they are forced to carry the weight of their trauma everywhere they go, even through moments that are supposed to be full of joy. While Sulkowicz rapist never faced consequences of his actions, Sulkowicz’s piece helped raise awareness of sexual violence on college campuses.
It is absurd to think that nearly fourteen years after what happened to Emma Sulkowicz, we are still fighting the same uphill battle to get justice for the victims of sexual violence. All things considered, the cases of Emma Sulkowicz and the recent news of what happened at Cornell demonstrate a deeper societal theme: women are not safe in places of education. Both of these cases occurred in places where women were meant to be protected, on their own college campuses. Places of higher education are where women are given the opportunity to create an equal playing field and open up doors for themselves. Thus, we must protect women in these spaces to prevent limitations on their future opportunities. It is imperative that we continue to uplift the stories of survivors and fight for action from the institutions meant to protect students, not only for ourselves, but also for future generations. What we are seeing now cannot be the reality that we accept for ourselves or future generations of young women.
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