Elgendy: College Republicans working to fight sexual assault on campus

by Nadia Elgendy

We, the political addicts, tend to lose touch with the reason why we got involved in this activism in the first place. We get carried away in the sports of politics. We attend watch parties like they’re the playoffs, wear campaign t-shirts like jerseys, and gather signatures for candidates like they’re going to be drafted in the NFL.

Whilst we fight diligently to #TurnVARed, we forget about our crimson principles–the ones that value the power of the individual. We talk about the groups we have to win over–the women, the ethnic minorities, and, of course, the youth.

There’s a critical issue among the youth that has belittled the individual. The mainstream media and politicians on both sides have been advocating for it. Unfortunately, we, as grassroots activists, have neglected the matter of sexual assault.

That is why the College Republican Federation of Virginia and SurvJustice has officially joined the movement against sexual assault on college campuses.

There has been tremendous progress done so far in our culture, but we are far from finished. Many institutions in the commonwealth give lectures and presentations about sexual assault awareness to their incoming freshmen, athletes, and Greek communities. However, many institutions do not supply the adequate resources to have these incidents reported or provide a safe space for victims to recuperate.

Take Farmville, Virginia, for example. Farmville is home to two colleges–Longwood University and Hampden-Sydney College. Centra Southside Community Hospital in Farmville does not provide rape kits, which would allow the hospital to collect evidence that would eventually prosecute rapists.

So how does a student, who attends a school in Farmville, make sure that they bring themselves to justice after being sexually assaulted? By riding in the back of cop car to Lynchburg, an hour away.

That is where the College Republicans came in. The Longwood University College Republican chapter posted an online petition to bring a qualified nurse to Centra Southside Community Hospital who can administer rape kits. They’ve gotten over one thousand signatures backing their stance on this issue.

This is a perfect case of action taken by College Republicans to bring awareness, and now it will be spread throughout the Commonwealth, chapter by chapter.

Each chapter in the commonwealth will dedicate an event to sexual assault awareness. Nevertheless, it will not contain the standard, run-of-the-mill information about respecting a woman’s choices or being safe with alcohol. The College Republicans will tackle the hard questions that haven’t been addressed to students, such as what bystanders can do and how students can encourage their administration to develop a safer campus.

For more information on the CRFV’s Sexual Assault Awareness Campaign, check out the advertisements that will be spread throughout social media tomorrow, Sept. 1st, and posted at your local College Republican chapter’s campus. If you’d like to get involved by making a donation or volunteering at your local chapter, please contact gop@cnu.edu.

Nadia Elgendy is the Chair of the Christopher Newport College Republicans, the College Republican Federation of Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District Representative, and Chairman of the CRFV Sexual Assault Awareness Campaign