An alleged rape victim, Jackie, told her story to Rolling Stone in a report that made national attention- first for graphic details and lack of intervention by the University of Virginia, then for journalistic error.
Allegations of assault should always be taken very seriously, and perhaps going to the press wasn’t the best first course of action.
The fraternity in question, Phi Kappa Psi, was accused of a horrific coordinated gang rape at a function involving 18-year-old freshman, Jackie, her date, and other fraternity members and pledges in fall of 2012.
The fraternity has recently announced their plans to sue the magazine.
“It’s completely tarnished our reputation,” said Phi Kappa Psi President, Stephen Scipione.
Rolling Stone commandeered The Columbia School of Journalism to look into their reporting practices, and the report goes into deep detail about where they went wrong.
As journalists, this raises the question of respecting confidentiality and verifying sources to avoid defamation.
One major flaw in the reporting was that the reporter allowed Jackie to arrange for much of the proof of the attack, including an interview with her freshman roommate, who stated that Jackie told her about the attack some four months later. Also, Jackie warned that the three friends she cried to immediately after the attack, (whom she named only with first names), didn’t want to be quoted.
“The magazine did not pursue important reporting paths when Jackie had made no request that they refrain,” asserted The Columbia Review.
Sexual assault on college campuses is a very important and sensitive issue. Reporting such cases requires much balance and respect.
“It would be unfortunate if Rolling Stone’s failure were to deter journalists from taking on high-risk investigations of rape in which powerful individuals or institutions may wish to avoid scrutiny, but where the facts may be underdeveloped,” states the Columbia Review’s dissertation.
Recent cases have involved students frustrated at the lack of procedures in place to report such incidents, such as the Columbia student who carried around a mattress with her to class in protest. It should never have to get to the point where a student feels that the only option is to make a huge public statement to make headlines, however, this is making a huge difference on college campuses everywhere to prevent such incidents.
While reporting assault is supposed to be required as part of the Clery Act, it may be challenging for students who have been victimized to know what steps to take, and what university resources are available to them.
The aim of the StandUpCCSU campaign, is to make resources more readily available for students, and also work on bystander prevention. It’s a step in the right direction for Central.
Although there may have been falsehoods stated in the Rolling Stone article, that doesn’t take away the significance of such allegations on college campuses. Sexual assault is a very serious issue, and college campuses need to take accountability in both preventing such incidents and having recourse when a survivor steps forward.