Take Back the Night Protestors Attacked (or) Why I do not feel safe on campus

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There was a Take Back the Night Event at SDSU on November 21st. A protest group of approximately 35 mostly female students held neon signs to protest 7 reports of sexual assaults so far this semester alone. They were meet with with so much hostility its unreal. Male Frat students waved dildos and screamed obscenities at the protestors. Several potentially unassociated driverbys threw eggs out their windows from the street. One of the female protestors reported feeling scared.

What were those frat boys thinking?
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Maybe the were counter-protesting women that resist rape
Maybe they were making fun of the fact that these women actually organized something and they wanted to let them know that they only take stock in causes when they are coming out of the mouths of men
Maybe they came upon the realization that they actually hate women.

If I am honest, they probably weren't thinking much at all. They got caught in the moment, and did something they didn't believe in, something that doesn't represent them. I am probably giving them too much slack because I want to believe in my heart that no one, not even the bro-iest frat bro would actually have a pro-rape agenda.

This is why campus culture is important. Campus culture makes an influence on how comfortable people are about voicing an opinion. It determines how funny someone would decide sexual assault would be to everyone else. Campus Culture silences that last person who feels uncomfortable about attacking a group of women.

I am horrified by the event but I am not surprised. There are lots of reasons I do not feel safe on campus, and this is only the latest of many terrifying incidents that cause me to require escort whenever I cross campus.

Recent reports include
11-23-14 Incident: Attempted kidnapping
11-23-14 Incident: Sexual Assault
11-16-14 Incident: Peeping Tom

10-25-14 Incident: Residential Burglary

10-16-14 Incident: Strong Arm Robbery

What is terrifying about the most recent events is it was students against students. It wasn't caused by a vagrant who got off at SDSU's random trolley stop.  It was a group of students making a public display out of other SDSU students. 

One of the causes of the most shock is how different my experience at UCSD was. I actively frequented the UCSD Womens Center and took part in a few Take Back the Night events that were well intertwined into UCSDs beloved traditions. For instance, I participated in a Take Back the Night event that ran parallel to the Undie Run. I ran a 5k around UCSD wearing nothing but my skimmies and didn't feel unsafe even in the slightest. Men and women alike take part in anti-assault protests at UCSD.

I am also horrified by the events as a female engineer. If there are men on campus who can't take women seriously when they are protesting an anti-women campus culture, how could they take women seriously in the class room, or even on the job? SDSU educates a majority of San Diegos working population. This isn't the mindset we want spreading to the community at large. 

I am so appalled. I think I might take to the SDSU women's resource center and take action.