Fill out our Daily Orange reader survey to make our paper better


Editorial Board

SU can learn from Columbia Journalism Review’s Rolling Stone report

Considering the attention campus sexual assault is receiving following the publication of “Rolling Stone and UVA: The Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism Report,” Syracuse University should further publicize the services available on campus for survivors of sexual assault.

The report was a 12,000-word overview detailing every mistake Rolling Stone made reporting, editing and fact checking “A Rape on Campus.” The original story, published in November of 2014, detailed the vicious gang rape of a University of Virginia student, “Jackie,” while attending a Phi Kappa Psi party. Soon after the story was published details were uncovered, which made it clear Rolling Stone’s version of Jackie’s story did not actually occur.

The damage done by “A Rape on Campus” is not limited to the integrity or credibility of Rolling Stone. It has hurt the believability of victims and perpetuates the idea that women cry rape. As the report outlines, “the magazine’s failure may have spread the idea that many women invent rape allegations.” But in reality the rate of false rape allegations ranges from 2–8 percent, according to the report.

While it is unfortunate there were inaccuracies in reporting this particular account of campus sexual assault, it does not detract from the fact that there is an abundance of sexual assault on college campuses. As of March 23, 117 SU students reported their assaults to the university’s Sexual and Relationship Violence Response Team within the 2014–15 academic year.

SU can do its part to make students feel safe by reiterating and publicizing the services that are available to victims of sexual assault. It should also strive to be an institution that challenges the stereotype that universities are ill-equipped to deal with sexual assault accusations.



Sexual assault survivors must be supported when opening up about their experiences and be able to trust the people they report their assaults to, if they so choose. The report mentioned that prior to the publication of “A Rape on Campus,” “there were numerous reports of campus assault that had been mishandled by universities.”

Perhaps the most troubling aspect of “A Rape on Campus” and the subsequent discoveries is that it took a story about a dramatic seven-person gang rape to get national attention. Rape is rape, and sexual assault survivors should be listened to, trusted and given the opportunity to seek justice.





Top Stories