Breaking the Silence

[sheshe2]

Amherst College Sexual Assault Policies Treat Alleged Rapists Better Than Laptop Thieves


A few months after Angie Epifano accused Amherst College of failing her as a rape victim, the school president travelled from Massachusetts to Alabama to meet with her for a few hours.

Epifano left Amherst in summer 2012. That October, she published a lengthy op-ed in the school newspaper, writing that the college failed to adequately respond to her report of sexual assault, and sent her to a psychiatric ward after she told a school counselor she felt depressed. The article rocked the campus, drew national attention and prompted Amherst President Biddy Martin to immediately order a task force to review sexual violence policies.

Days before that task force report was to be released in January 2013, Martin and Gina Smith, an attorney Amherst hired to advise it on sexual violence issues, met with Epifano where she was living at the time. They wanted to prepare her for what would be released to the public, according to the college.

"They proceed to tell me that the deans that had worked with me and the counselors had gone above and beyond to help me stay in school and to heal, and I just hadn't been receptive of their help," Epifano said in an interview. "I think I was in too much shock to say anything in response. I felt like I was going to burst into tears at any moment."





Oh, please do read the rest and view the remaining images:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/15/amherst-college-sexual-assault-policies_n_4402315.html

[jessie04]

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