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The Eve Project worked to raise awareness about sexual violence so eventually something can be done. No one wants sexual assault to continue. But for those who have experienced the reason for the fear, the light at the end of the tunnel just will not cut it.
Anyone who walked through the Sandbar last week and saw the video on loop of students smiling wide against a black background would not immediately start thinking about sexual violence.
Did someone say “sexual violence?” Those words seem out of place at Pepperdine and in the daily lives of students. Besides, who wants to think about that?
The Eve Project got about as close to the topic as a kid poking a dead bird with a stick. While the project undoubtedly began with good intentions, on the surface it left the majority of students confused. Some students were even misled. And some, like me, were angry.
Here’s the truth: We are all aware of sexual violence. It has impacted many of us and many of the people we know. It is a topic so close to home that no amount of convocations could alter our gut responses to it.
And some people treated it as a joke.
The Eve Project used the slogan “When the fear of sexual violence ends,” followed with a remark about what people could do in such a world. Many students participated, saying, “I could walk to my car alone at night,” or “I could use public transportation.”
Some male students said, “I would not worry about my sisters,” and the hilarious, “I would go streaking.”
I laughed at that, because it was funny. Walking up to a huge wall filled with pictures of our fellow students does not inspire to change the world, but instead leaves students searching for humor. “I can’t believe he said that,” we say before laughing and walking away, some of us even buying a sweet new T-shirt on the way out, because it is for a good cause.
Oh yeah, the cause. So what is the message of the Eve Project? Is it that students should all be aware that it exists and donate money to help? Most students seemed confused about what the project was trying to convey.
At the panel at one of the Eve Project convocations, it was revealed that the “fear of sexual violence” refers to the circle of influence surrounding cases of sexual assault. Because it exists, people fear. Vicariously, we all experience sexual violence.
This expands the idea of sexual violence to a sort of global responsibility. The scope is wide and the same idea applies to everything from genocide in Darfur to human trafficking. Those issues, however, are so far removed from Pepperdine that students should be educated about them, whereas sexual violence is an issue on campus. Dean Davis’ e-mail about being careful around campus due to recent sexual violence proved that fact.
Here’s the good news: Someone had the courage to speak about the topic. In an effort to sell T-shirts, draw a crowd, and get people thinking, the Eve Project used catchy logos, cool backgrounds, and sense of optimism.
The project challenged students to imagine a world where people never had to deal with sexual violence, the act of sexual assault, and the painful aftermath. But the light at the end of the tunnel idea portrayed an unrealistic hope — an end to all sexual violence.
I can’t imagine that world, because I’m living with the reality of the aftermath of being sexually assaulted. On a very personal level, the Eve Project hit too close to home.
When I visited the Santa Monica Rape Treatment center, I asked how many people from Pepperdine came in. She told me she couldn’t say, but I was definitely not the only one, and it was a tragic amount. Because of cases on this campus alone that are both reported and unreported, a world without fear is ridiculous.
It’s a nice thought, but its optimism leaves something out: Sexual assault is heartbreaking, guilt inducing, and all too common. Even the most seemingly light cases are destructive to relationships and make recovery difficult.
The dirty details are not as fun to put on a poster.
Personally, the Eve Project meant I should not be afraid of sexual violence. Then I could smile like the people on the video about walking alone in parks at night and riding the bus alone. But some violence, like drive-by shootings and robbery, is not sexual in nature, so these are things one should not do alone anyway, even without the fear of sexual violence.
Sexual violence is not something that will end. And fearing it is actually very healthy. The uncomfortable topic of sexual assault is a reality, even at Pepperdine.
The Eve Project, along with other good-cause endeavors at Pepperdine, did not come without its flaws. Some student participation, especially in the comments, undermined the importance of the issue. In creating an environment and using means that made the topic easier for students to handle, the Eve Project made the message confusing.
Suddenly a topic that is a private dark spot in my life was made to sound like world hunger. No amount of money and airdrops can fix the pain of what has already happened.
The next time Pepperdine students become involved in a project about a dark issue, we should be careful how we participate. Sexual violence is not a joke. As the Eve Project made clear, we’re all living with the fear. But some of us are living with the
reality.
Submitted 04-03-2008
MALIBU, CA
