Sal Orlando, News Editor
Tadek Wieczorek, Contributing Writer
Around 90 people attended a walkout against sexual violence on Oct. 10, organized by the National Organization for Women at VCU and the Feminist Generation Richmond chapter.
The protest follows a lawsuit filed by Jane Doe against Cornell University and seven Cornell Chi Phi fraternity members, alleging she was raped and drugged by the men at a frat house in 2024, according to ABC news.
The walkout’s organizers demanded that VCU be transparent about who they are holding accountable for sexual violence.
Rebecca Weil, founder and president of NOW at VCU, said she organized the event on very short notice, posting about the walkout only three days before.
“I am watching in anger as the institutions that are meant to protect us are failing us,” Weil said during her speech. “I’m watching as the police, as the attorney generals, as the administrators, are just now pretending to care.”
Weil said she does not believe VCU is doing enough to support students who are victims of sexual assault.
“I want to make people care and I want to show not just VCU as an institution, but also the people who make up VCU,” Weil said. “I want to show them that we are here for them, and not here for VCU.”
Weil said the people in the VCU Title IX office care deeply about what they do, but she believes Title IX as an institution is not designed to hold rapists accountable or reduce sexual violence.
“I see these posters around [saying] ‘We’re in the red zone,’” Weil said. “Okay, what the f*ck are we doing about that?”
Zateya Jackson, a member of Feminist Generation Richmond, said she acknowledges the resources that VCU offers to students, but feels that people who do come out about their experiences with sexual violence by those in power at the university will not be taken seriously by VCU.
“VCU has services out there, but they’re not easily accessible and they’re not proclaimed,” Jackson said.
Jackson said given that some women are accused of lying after coming out about sexual assault, VCU needs to show that they support victims and investigate reports.
“As women and as people, we want to know if we are sitting next to a rapist, we want to know if we are sitting next to someone who sexually assaulted somebody, because that puts our safety at risk,” Jackson said.
Protesters chanted during the rally, ‘We believe them, we believe you,’ referring to victims of sexual violence.
Numerous attendees were survivors who chose to tell their stories. In solidarity with the survivors, many attendees yelled the f, followed by the names of the perpetrators from their own stories.
Deborah Cohen, a protest attendee, said a similar situation to the alleged Cornell gang rape occurred 42 years ago at the University of Florida while she attended. It involved a 17-year-old girl being coerced into sexual acts with multiple men in order to attain “little sister” status within the Pi Lambda Phi fraternity. At the time, the fraternity was disciplined, however, no criminal charges were filed.
“If we don’t shut these fraternities down permanently, women on campuses are never going to be safe,” Cohen said.
Cohen said she finds it encouraging that so many young people went out to protest sexual violence. She said she was surprised that more faculty members did not go out to express their support.
“I think it’s critically important for faculty members and administrators at these institutions to support their students in trying to make changes in these structures,” Cohen said.
Scout Knapton, a third-year musical theater student, said she was supposed to have class during the time of the walkout, but her professor canceled class so people could attend the protest.
“I am infuriated at the treatment of women in this country right now because the lack of representation of support that we have as a country for survivors is quite frankly disgusting,” Knapton said.
Knapton said she wonders why “the red zone” should even be a fear for students on campus.
“The biggest fear survivors can have a lot of the time is lack of support, so to come out here and see so many people supporting, that means a lot to everyone, and especially survivors,” Knapton said.
A few hours after the walkout, the VCU Division of Student Affairs sent out an email to students providing sexual violence prevention resources.