“Rape shouldn’t be part of the college experience.”

“Red tape won’t cover up rape.”

Earlier this week, No Red Tape delivered this letter to President Bollinger, proposing further reforms to Columbia University’s most recent sexual assault policy. Today, they’re holding a “Stand With Survivors” demonstration until 3, where student and alumni survivors are sharing their stories.

From their press release:

Frustrated by months of inaction and empty promises by the University, the group No Red Tape Columbia is demanding improvements to the school’s adjudication policies, stronger prevention programs, increased transparency, and comprehensive resources for survivors. Student and alumni survivors will speak out about their experiences of sexual and domestic violence and of mistreatment by the university.

At one point, organizer Zoe Ridolfi-Starr encouraged members of the crowd to stand behind the mattresses with the demonstrators. About 30 crossed sides: “This kind of movement is the type of movement we should see every time a survivor calls for help,” Ridolfi-Starr said to audience applause.

no red tape low

IMG_7324“Rape shouldn’t be part of the college experience.” “Rape happens here.” “Silence is violence.”

At one point, students from the Union Theological Seminary led those on Low Steps in a modified version of “We Shall Not Be Moved,” as shown below:

No Red Tape hopes to receive a respond from the president’s office by the third week of September. The most recent version of the sexual violence policy, they wrote in their statement, “fails to address many of the serious concerns students raised, makes it harder to bring cases against serial perpetrators, and allows Deans to maintain complete control over the sanctioning of rapists.”