By SIONA SHISHAK
In recent months, the campus has experienced renewed concerns regarding sexual safety and the culture around sex. Unfortunately, this heightened awareness is necessary across college campuses around the country. As November ends, so does the infamous “Red Zone”, a period between August and November where over 50% of all campus sexual assaults occur. This number comes from The Center for Women and Families, based on a 2007 study. They further claim that “although every student, regardless of age or gender, is at risk, freshman females are the most vulnerable.” While preventing sexual violence is the most pressing concern, there are certain measures that we can take to create a healthier culture around sex–primarily through education, advocacy, and open engagement with others.
To gather information for this article, I released an anonymous survey open to all of campus. The option of anonymity was provided to allow for more participation regarding a subject that can be sensitive and private. I also conducted several brief in-person interviews with students. As most participants have chosen not to include their name or class year, I will be unable to include direct quotations from these individuals. Some students have elected to share only their first name, only their class year, or only their identity. Some of the questions included demographic information about the individual’s gender or sexual identity, opinions on today’s campus culture, and potential methods to improve the current situation. I’ll first disclose that the majority of submissions came from bisexual women, so this article may not adequately reflect the general opinion. However, I also received statements from several men, transgender women, and genderqueer individuals. Each listed sexual identity is also represented in the sample.
Overwhelmingly, it seems that students do not feel the college as an institution is providing adequate resources for sexual health, education, and resources for victims. One participant claimed while the school appears to have resources in place, they aren’t effective, being used as a form of plausible deniability. In particular, one student seemed concerned regarding the effectiveness of our Title IX system, claiming that victims of sexual violence have cited negative experiences with school staff. However, students do generally seem satisfied with student organizations who provide safe spaces for diverse identities. While no specific positive spaces were listed besides the annual Rocky Horror production, there were lasting concerns about safety in Greek Life, particularly from underclassmen women and non-binary people. One response indicated that certain identities have more difficulty finding accepting and supportive spaces, sharing that they’ve experienced stigma surrounding their asexual identity.
Most students indicated that they believe Beloit has a sex-positive culture, but certain things are damaging this. “I think we talk about sex pretty openly, but do I think it’s positive? Not always. There is a lot of sexual objectification in those conversations especially in heterosexual cisgender male spaces,” says Sophia ‘25. Even male participants stated that they believe there’s a negative sex culture that particularly affects women on campus. On the other hand, many women seem to feel that we have solid spaces to come together, and the ability to uplift each other. While there were concerns about potentially toxic male-dominant spaces, there were even stronger concerns regarding the rise of anonymous online drama accounts, particularly @naughtyturtles.24 on Instagram. The page frequently features personal call-outs, discourse about relevant topics on campus, and a mix of negative and positive submissions. However, it’s unclear if accounts like these are amplifying or simply reflecting issues on campus.
One thing is clear: all participants believe that sexual stigmas present on campus are coming from their fellow peers. Whether referencing difficulties expressing identities, feeling a sense of competition regarding sex, being shamed for clothing choices or anonymous submissions online, students don’t feel respected. There seem to be high levels of judgment, but, more significantly, a lack of understanding of consent. Four responses included that they have been assessed as promiscuous or even unintelligent because of what they wear to parties; several included that other partygoers have assumed consent to touch them because of their revealing clothing. Beyond physical violation, one bisexual woman ‘25 states that “it has been with people I have had relationships/situationships with and has been hard to recognize and address. I think emotional violence is also a major issue within the sexual violence that is present on this campus.”
However, not all hope is lost. Every single response claimed that their experience at Beloit has been equal to or better than previous experiences, particularly regarding pre-college relationships. Some students, particularly freshmen, even stated that they did not feel there are significant issues with campus sexual culture. While some issues seem to exist everywhere, students noted that they feel like there are clear methods of getting help in the moment. Students seem especially appreciative of our security system, explaining that they feel more comfortable calling security than the police or other emergency services. Furthermore, the students that mention our security guards in their responses have reported positive experiences. The small campus size also seems to provide some comfort, as most people have at least a couple trusted friends at parties and other potentially dangerous events.
One of the most impacted identities appears to be transgender and queer individuals;everal trans and non-gender conforming students explained their hesitancy to engage in romantic or sexual relationships because of fears of acceptance, especially if they pass as cisgender. One bisexual male student ‘28 claims that they “feel like [they’re] rejected from queer spaces because right now [they’re] with someone of the opposite sex.” In terms of on campus resources for people of varying sexual and gender identities, Trans Experience and Advocacy Association and the Sexuality and Gender Alliance are expressly devoted to providing spaces for individuals looking for community and resources.
Across identities, there seem to be very mixed feelings regarding the importance of someone’s body count. Most students, if they have a preference, seem to only care about the body count of their partner. Some common reasons for this preference are wanting to have similar levels of experience or not wanting to have a relationship with someone who has slept with a high number of people in the past. However, other responses indicate that the sexual history of a partner is not a relevant factor.
Regarding sexual safety, there are some concerning results. The majority of students do not participate in regular STI testing, and some neither test nor use protection. While the decision to take these measures is undeniably a personal preference, it calls into question why so many students chose not to. Some indicated that this decision is not based on any sort of stigma or external pressures, but several shared specific reasons regarding this choice. While there are free testing dates on campus, most recently provided by Beloit Public Health Initiative and the Pre-Health Professionals club, it seems many do not feel comfortable taking advantage of these opportunities. For one, STI testing is often a service that patients prefer to handle discreetly. One of the disadvantages of being on a small campus is that you’ll likely have to interact with peers that you see in the classroom frequently. Even though the previously mentioned organizations have done a wonderful job executing these events without judgment or shame, it’s understandable that some students would not want to go through any awkwardness– whether real or perceived. As for the people choosing to not use protection, it seems that stigma sometimes factors into this as well. Following the disbandment of the Sexual Health and Reproductive Choice Coalition, anonymous access to condoms, dental dams, and other disposable contraception has decreased. Right now, the only consistently available free condoms on campus are located in the Health and Wellness Center, but not in a discreet area. While not a comprehensive list, organizations like the Sexuality and Gender Alliance, Theta Pi Gamma, and the Feminist Collective sometimes have free condoms available at specific events. For anyone in need of urgent contraception, the Feminist Collective will provide the resources needed to obtain them.
There are serious problems being expressed that should be addressed. As members of the student body, what can we do about it? The two final questions I asked participants were related to sexual culture and sexual violence; particularly, about what needs to change. Overwhelmingly, it appears that some change is necessary. Many sentiments seem to reflect problems that extend far beyond our campus. One common perspective is that women are often degraded for frequent sexual activity, while men are typically celebrated for sexual conquests. Ellie ‘25 remarks that “a high body count for women is associated with sluttiness or being ‘easy’ whereas a high body count for men is associated with respect and power.” Students also frequently referenced the harmful impacts of “hookup culture,” which seems to be prevalent on campus. These issues are exacerbated by frequent gossip, whether in person or online, especially seeing as we know a majority of our peers at Beloit. Another participant, Nell Shay ‘28 states, “I think there’s still a hookup culture which is fine but considering how much gossip is going around.” Some called for more frequent open conversations or forums such as this, while others believed that being too open puts pressure on individuals who don’t want to be sexually active. The most frequently expressed ideas for solutions include the dissolution of gossip accounts, additional education for fraternities and male athletes on campus, the responsibility of men to check their friends, and greater campus unity across all groups.
I want to be extremely clear that calling for education for specific groups on campus is not a condemnation of the individuals within said groups. In fact, several responses celebrated fraternity Phi Kappa Psi for their efforts to include a wide range of identities. Unfortunately, both anecdotally and statistically, these problems have been more common in certain spaces. Clear initiatives to make structural and cultural changes in these spaces, in my opinion, would lead to greater trust across campus. There’s a great amount of hesitation, distrust, and fear, particularly among women and LGBT+ individuals. These feelings are not by any means invalid, but only demonstrated change has the potential to sufficiently develop positive campus relations.
In coming years, I want to be sure that every student feels comfortable and confident to exist in spaces across campus. Each and every one of us has a direct responsibility to contribute to a healthy and supportive environment, regardless of how these actions may differ on an individual level.
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