Students

University of Kansas Students and Administrators Embarrassed Following Al Jazeera Expose on College Partying and Sexual Assault

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Students and administrators at the University of Kansas (KU) are embarrassed and ashamed of the contents of a recent Al Jazeera America investigative piece on the relation between college partying culture and sexual assault.

A group of students agreed to allow an Al Jazeera reporter bring his camera to spend a day and night observing the students partying, conducting interviews along the way. The students believed the reporter was going to publish a piece on drinking and hookup culture on college campuses.

The piece ran and ended up being titled, "What role does college partying play in sexual assault?"

One student, who only went by Arthur to protect his identity, told KCTV5 he and his friends were given "false impressions" of what the expose would be about. Rather than simply chronicling a night of partying at KU, Al Jazeera released a video and article on the dangers of combining binge drinking and "hooking up" at college parties.

"I think it depends on the girl. So she goes home with some guy, she wakes up in the morning, 'I made a big mistake' but yet it's on her, you know?" KU senior Casey, a friend of Arthur's, said in the Al Jazeera video.

Arthur told KCTV5 he and his friends made a mistake letting the reporter in like they did, but insisted his comments were taken out of context.

"By no means do I think sexual assault is a funny topic. I've had friends that have been victims of things like that. I think it's absolutely disgusting. If I could take back the comments that were said or at least change them in a way I would've expressed them in a sober manner, I absolutely would," Arthur said after the video aired.

Sexual consent laws state a woman is legally not able to consent to sex even after one drink of alcohol, since it can impair one's judgment even if slightly. Arthur told Al Jazeera it is a normal occurrence in college.

"Girls wake up, start making wild accusations, that happens all the time," said the KU senior and journalism student.

KCTV5 reported Casey originally agreed to a phone interview, but later decided not to. KU commented publicly on the matter, saying the students made a mistake and should not be seen as representing the rest of the student body.

"Unfortunately, this small group went on camera to demonstrate their dangerous drinking and attitudes toward sexual consent," KU's Vice Provost for Student Affairs Tammara Durham said in a statement. "They represent a small minority of the KU population."

KCTV5

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