How would you feel if a student sitting next to you in class drew a sexually explicit picture of your body, wrote an offensive caption, and displayed it in front of your class?
Now imagine that this picture was then printed in a university-funded publication and distributed to the entire student body. How would you feel? Who would you turn to for help? Until the dismissal of the sexual harassment charges brought by Iris Halpern against The Primary Source, we thought we could turn to the administration for support. Unfortunately, its blatant disregard of the sexual harassment policy has left us nowhere to turn for help.
In its Oct. 11 issue, instead of attacking her ideas and opinions, The Primary Source attacked Iris' body and reduced her to a sexual object. She not only felt violated but threatened by these images and confronted the publication by filing sexual harassment charges - a difficult and emotionally trying decision.
Our intent is not to attack The Primary Source, since we recognize its right to free expression. Sexual harassment, however, is not legally protected expression. Tufts' sexual harassment policy exists to keep the students on this campus safe. Students, faculty members, and staff are required to uphold this policy and student publications must also be held accountable under this policy. We care about and protect our right to free speech, but we do not believe that we should be made to feel threatened and unsafe through the words and actions of fellow students.
To the surprise of most students, the Committee on Student Life (CSL) is one of the most powerful groups on campus. The CSL speaks on behalf of the entire University. It has the power to make decisions regarding policy issues.
To read its decision on the Iris Halpern vs. The Primary Source case, one would think that the case's principle concern had been free speech and censorship. The CSL neglected to address or even consider the true purpose of this case, sexual harassment. By doing so, it basically nullified the sexual harassment policy and removed the only avenue students have to deal with sexual harassment. As a result, it jeopardized the safety of all Tufts students.
This decision reflects the administration's consistent failure to recognize violence against women on this campus. We, as women, don't feel safe on this campus. The purpose of the administration is not merely to provide an education; it is responsible for providing a safe environment for that education.
Instead of upholding policy and acknowledging the hostile treatment of women, it has instead chosen to be a silent bystander, thereby condoning the actions of those who perpetrate such violence. While the administration's actions should make us feel safer, we instead continue to feel threatened by its intentional abandonment of women's issues.
The student body has the power to dictate what atmosphere it wants to live in. This atmosphere should be one in which students are protected from being personally attacked in a sexual manner. We refuse to sit idly and allow the degradation and harassment of women to continue. We demand that sexual harassment be taken seriously by students and administrators alike.
Melissa Callan is a junior majoring in political science. Caroline Davis is a sophomore who has not yet declared a major. Lauren Schulman, a sophomore majoring in history, contributed to this viewpoint. All three writers are members of the Tufts Feminine Alliance.
