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Mohamed Emlemdi

Professor Beckelhimer

Advanced Composition

11 October 2017

Sexual Assault Discourse Analysis

Sexual assault on college campuses is a very important topic of conversation that many

groups engage in. Groups are engaged all the way from governmental officials, to normal college

students like myself. There is higher level and more civil dialogue involved when groups like the

Department of Education or the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions are

involved but there can also be uncivil discourse when groups on campuses across our country

conduct protests on this issue. As a result of all this dialogue and discussion, many people across

our campuses have become aware of the significance of this issue and many people have become

more knowledgeable on this topic of conversation. Still, even though there is a lot of discussion,

there is still a lot that needs to be done for college students to ensure their safety and to keep

them from becoming victims of sexual assault. I feel like thats where the topic of conversation

is currently at, and its important that this discussion continues.

Lawmakers have spent years discussing sexual assault on campuses across our nations

Universities. In fact, the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions has had a series

on exploring the Higher Education Act and Title IX and how these two laws address issues

related to campus sexual assault (Harkin, US Senate). The focus of todays hearing, campus

sexual assault, is a profoundly important one. Too many students are being assaulted on our

Nations college campuses. According to current research, an estimated 1 in 5 women are

sexually assaulted or victims of attempted sexual assault while in college. Approximately 1 in 16

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men are victims of completed or attempted sexual assault (Harkin, US Senate). As you can see,

campus sexual assault is a very important issue and executive leaders in our nation are taking it

very seriously to discuss this topic in an important manner. These lawmakers have been highly

involved in this discussion, but since there is so much these officials need to understand and

know about, they must seek out guidance and expertise from those more closely affected by

sexual assault. That is why dialogue among groups in the discourse community is so important in

order to more effectively solve its problems.

In addition to government leaders, another group that is very seriously engaged in this

discourse are first-hand victims accounts. These people are most closely affected by sexual

assault and it is important that their voices can be heard in the discussion. According to John

Hopkins University Press, throughout 2014, students and advocates raised significant public

awareness about the alarming rates of sexual violence on college and university campuses. In

response, the White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault held twenty-

seven listening sessions with stakeholder groups (Germain). This shows how both groups are

communicating within the discourse community to enhance this conversation. One group with

more resources and ability to initiate change (the lawmakers) are utilizing the experiences and

knowledge of those affected first-hand in order to better make decisions on this issue.

However, those who are personally affected by this issue do not always want to discuss

it. Alma Lee, a student from Dartmouth, internalized it and tried to not think of it ever after the

fateful night when she was sexually assaulted in a dormitory bathroom (Lasky). Situations like

these can be very hard to talk about but its important that we learn to respect these peoples

views as those views can often be the most important dialogue added to the surrounding

conversations.
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Many groups are involved in the discourse community surrounding sexual assault. Higher

level groups and people in governmental positions as well as college students like myself all add

to this important conversation. Although many people are involved in this discourse, its

important that we all still work to communicate with each other and work to understand each

others views on this issue. Personally, I feel that this issue has a very large discourse community

since almost everyone can be affected by this issue because we are all human beings. As humans,

its our responsibility to ensure this conversation continues and grows.

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Germain, Lauren J. Campus Sexual Assault: College Women Respond. By Lauren J. Germain,

Johns Hopkins University Press, 2016.

"Introduction to Sexual Assault on Campus: Opposing Viewpoints." Sexual Assault on Campus,

edited by Jack Lasky, Greenhaven Press, 2016. Opposing Viewpoints. 25 Sept. 2017.

Sexual Assault on Campus: Working to Ensure Student Safety: Committee on Health, Education,

Labor, and Pensions, US Senate, Second Session (2014)

Smith, Tovia. Campuses Cautious As They Adjust To New Sexual Assault Guidelines. NPR,

NPR, 28 Sept. 2017

Staff, Stateside. Campus Sexual Assault Researchers: Focus on Due Process Comes at Victims'

Expense. Michigan Radio