One of the most common reasons women transfer from one college to another is sexual assault by a fellow student. This survivor’s experience shows us why.

I’ve been doing college focused anti-violence activism for about ten years now, which means that I talk to a lot of survivors of campus sexual assault. I’ve heard this story so many times:

Earlier this year, I was raped and I decided to report first through our school. It was found “more likely than not that the Joint Sexual Assault Policy was violated and that a sexual assault was committed.” Yet his punishment was only suspension with the option of coming back next fall as long as he gets counseling.

I couldn’t believe that my own school would even consider letting him back on the same campus as me, even after I told them I wouldn’t be able to deal with that…

…This school emphasizes how safe it is here, but I sure don’t feel safe at all.

The author goes on to close with this heartbreaking (and also very common) conclusion:

It isn’t right that I should have to leave this school, my great scholarships and all of my amazing friends. You all know I will miss you so much. My hope is that something will get changed on this campus so maybe everyone could feel safe.

The College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University should revise their disciplinary procedures. No one should be forced to make a choice between transferring and going to school with their rapist.