Did U.Va. abandon victims of rape? Opinionline

The Courier-Journal, Louisville, Ky., editorial: "A Rolling Stone article last week of a particularly horrific account by a female student, ("Jackie"), of her alleged gang-rape at a University of Virginia fraternity house has shattered the school's genteel image. ... The article describes a culture of silence and coverup at the college, reaching from top administrators preoccupied with protecting U.Va.'s image to the students themselves. ... U.Va. has (asked) police to investigate the 2012 rape allegations ... and temporarily (suspended) all campus fraternity activities."

Ashe Schow, The (Washington) Examiner: "In Jackie's case, (U.Va. officials) eventually told her that 'all the boys involved have graduated.' This meant the case was no longer in the university's hands, and if Jackie wants justice, she'll have to go to the police, only now it will be more difficult as the attack was years ago. ... Jackie's case highlights why the handling of sexual assault claims on college campuses need to be reformed and why they should absolutely not be left in the hands of the universities — for the sake of the accusers and the accused."

Rod Dreher, The American Conservative : "(The) story reveals a campus culture in which fraternity houses are widely known as places where girls, especially freshman girls (who are too young to get into bars) are invited inside, gotten drunk and bedded.... I don't understand the attraction of college Greek life. ... I do not want my kids ... (to be) pressured to prove their loyalty to their fraternity, their friends and their university by staying silent about rape."

Peter Smithhisler, CNN : "Schools should investigate every allegation. ... But they should not violate the rights of those who live by the rules simply because they are in some way affiliated with those who do not. The vast majority of fraternity and sorority members join them for all the right reasons. ... To take all of this away from so many good kids simply because a few kids choose to be bad is unfair."

Daniel W. Drezner, The Washington Post : "Fixing this problem at U.Va. will require a sea change in the college's culture, and that is not going to be easy at all. For all the tut-tutting going on right now, it would not surprise me if U.Va. students soon start to resent the mass media attention and decry what they see as a distortion of what their school is like. Which means that they'll resist changes to their customs and traditions."

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