Boston University joke newspaper offensive

The April Fools’ Day edition of The Daily Gamecock usually attracts an odd glance here and there before readers remember why outlandish headlines are featured instead of actual news. But this Monday at Boston University, the jokes went too far. The front page featured articles depicting a female student’s rape, a female prostitution ring and female drug abuse.

The BU administration should be commended for taking quick action to request that the editor-in-chief of the paper resign. She has apologized and left, but the damage has been done. It is entirely inappropriate to joke about rape at any time.

These spoofs sent the wrong message to the BU student body, making light of such a serious issue in the college community. Even worse, the school has dealt with several sexual assault cases in recent months, and there was a rally against sexual violence just a few days before the issue ran.

While the newspaper staff takes most of the blame, the attitude is not uncommon in society. It seems that in too many sexual assault cases, especially at the collegiate level, people place equal blame on the victim and the perpetrator. Because there is a heated argument over the definition of rape and the circumstances under which it occurs, an environment is created that makes it difficult for people to accept and support even the most blatant and clear-cut cases as serious issues. Until society can decide to accept that rape is a serious crime that deserves punishment, it seems that a sizable number of males will continue to believe they can get away with it. They may even have the continued support of many women who are willing to make excuses for these men.

Incidents like this can continue to deter women from speaking out and standing up against sexual violence if they are only going to be mocked afterward. It is worrisome to think that the editor at BU was in fact a woman and chose to allow the articles to be published.

Men can be victims of rape as well, but women are those who continue to suffer from the effects of a society that has been male-dominated for a very long time. People commit rape to express control and exercise dominance, an idea typically associated with being a man. The selfish act of rape can leave a person emotionally scarred for years, and no one should stoop so low as to make fun of the situation he or she has suffered through.

The situation is a reminder that people must think long and hard before acting when dealing with such a serious matter. Sexual violence should be on the unspoken list of topics that should never be discussed in a joking manner. Society has a responsibility to protect those victims of rape and to ensure that all future victims are given the respect that they deserve.