AUBURN, Ala. (WRBL) – Auburn University students joined in protest Tuesday night following the third email from Auburn University Campus Safety in one week regarding alleged sexual assault.
Campus Safety sent the most recent email around 1 p.m. on Tuesday with the following statement:
“A female disclosed to police last night that she was raped Friday night at a fraternity house. The victim/survivor does not recall the details of the incident but disclosed physical injuries consistent with a rape.”
Auburn University Campus Safety
Upon receiving the email, sophomore Auburn student Jordan Musantry and others utilized social media to organize a protest on Samford Lawn within hours. One student made a graphic with the following information:
According to Musantry, about 500 people showed up and the protesters received about 2,000 honks in support. Students held signs with statements such as “it shouldn’t be part of the college experience to experience sexual assault", “do better, Auburn” and “we believe you.”
“It’s really cool that in just three hours, we can do something so special,” Musantry said.
Musantry also shared that students received a message saying the victim decided not to file a police report. Despite this, she says tonight’s rally was important.
“Even if they don’t want to report what happened and aren’t going to go forth at all, you know people are behind you. So I think for us that was kind of the main thing. Again, I don’t know who to blame. I can’t blame an entire university for the acts of a fraternity brother, but I can blame them for not holding them accountable.”
Musantry said they drew inspiration from recent protests at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and the University of Kansas. Through social media, word spread quickly about students banding together on various campuses.
“We all saw that on TikTok and we were able to learn,” Musantry said. “For us, we wouldn’t have done it without those schools doing it.”
Musantry says she and other students are planning to continue these efforts until the university incites change on campus.
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