UPD handles issue appropriately

In regards to the Jennifer Sales incident (April 7, p. 3), I would like to commend the University Police Department for their appropriate handling of the matter. In an age where many students feel that they don’t need to be accountable for their actions, Sales was presented with a choice and made a poor one. The University has rules and policies for a reason. Sure, she did not intend to go to the Wellness Center without her GWorld card, but the fact remains that she did.

When she was denied access, she chose to trespass and when confronted, she was given the choice to leave or she would be arrested. That in and of itself is not a threat. The UPD officer gave her the chance to leave without any further action, she instead chose to call the Metropolitan Police Department. At that point she is still trespassing and trying to use MPD as a muscle to push UPD around to escape culpability.

UPD was well within their duty and responsibility to press charges. Had they not, it sets a poor example that UPD has no authority and encourages people to not respond to them because they feel nothing will come out of it. Many of you will disagree with me and think that they went overboard on something so trivial to someone who didn’t pose much of a threat, but as a police officer I can attest that law enforcement agencies and their associated functions like UPD need to enforce laws uniformly and consistently. Had I been the MPD and UPD officers who had responded, I would have acted in the same manner, which seems to be a professional one.

Detective Richard Gendreau, Alumnus

Photo detracts from issue

“Staying Safe on Campus” (April 7, p. 7) is an absolutely necessary article and I am glad to see that people are taking the time to educate GW students so that they may have an outlet if they are, unfortunately, assaulted. However, the photo above the article completely detracts from the importance of the issue itself.

The Department of Justice reports that 61 percent of rapes go unreported when the perpetrators are acquaintances or even friends. This is because the issue of rape is not legitimized in our culture. Chances are the majority of the people reading this letter use the word “rape” in a light manner on a regular basis: “I raped that test,” etc. Social norms, the media and gender stereotypes already contribute to victims being ashamed, let alone a picture such as this.

Any imitation of a date rape makes light of the situation, especially one in which the supposed rapist finds his actions amusing, as indicated by his facial expression in this picture. People do not understand getting drugged or raped unless it happens to them, but everyone should start finding compassion for victims, and can help by eliminating the cultural humor behind rape.

Carly Donnelly, Sophomore