Christian abuse consulting group GRACE revealed in February that Bob Jones University — a well-known fundamentalist Christian college in South Carolina — had been sweeping cases of on-campus sexual assault under the rug and pinning the blame on the victims of the assaults.
Prior to the investigation, Bob Jones claimed it was a chaste college. Fearful of bad press, the university terminated GRACE’s investigation, only to later reinstate the group after enduring heavy criticism. The university’s decision to allow for the continuation of the investigation is crucial — the pattern of leaving sexual assaults on campus unreported and not properly caring for victims is an awful practice that has plagued America’s Christian colleges.
The obsession with having young men and women remain virgins until marriage causes Christian colleges to cover up instances of rape. Indeed, a selling point for Christian colleges to prospective parents and students is the ability to maintain their student’s chastity. Therefore, a report of a sexual assault on campus would compromise any sort of chaste appeal a college may possess.
In addition to not reporting instances of sexual assault, the administrations of these schools will typically shift the blame of the assault to the victim. In 2009, Samantha Fields, a student at Pensacola Christian College in Florida, was allegedly raped by a fellow student. When Fields went to a counselor for help, she was immediately scolded and told that her rape, which violated the school’s morality code that prohibits physical interaction between males and females, was grounds for her expulsion. Fields was then forced to apologize to the school and to forgive her attacker.
Similar situations have arisen at other Christian colleges like Bob Jones and Patrick Henry. Women are told that the sexual assault is their fault because they were acting promiscuously or wearing suggestive clothing. This reasoning perversely distorts assault into acts of seduction. Victims may be accused of lying and told that reporting rape to the police will hurt Jesus.
By alienating, scolding and ignoring victims, these colleges are creating not just an environment in which rape victims are alone in their struggle, but also one that leaves rape unpunished, allowing for it to happen again and again. Unfortunately, sexual abuse is rampant in a great number of Christian communities — occurring not just in colleges, but churches as well. However, the element of sex makes the issue too taboo to deal with. No church, college or mission wants to compromise the illusion of purity.
Bob Jones’ reinstatement of GRACE has prompted change and shed light on an issue that has remained in the dark for far too long. The university is setting an example for other Christian colleges across the nation. If a fundamentalist institution can make changes regarding sexual assault, so can other Christian colleges. There should be no stigma surrounding sexual assault, and Christian colleges should work to create policy that creates actual safety and purity, not just the illusion of it.
Lena Rawley is a staff columnist. Double X is published every Friday. Email her at [email protected].