Judy Haiven, associate professor in the department of
management at SMU and member of Solidarity Halifax, sends her
thoughts to
The Chronicle Herald
following yet another publicized case of misogyny on our
university campuses.
After the rape chant at Saint Mary’s University, after the SMU athletes’ texts that threatened and disparaged women, after the Ghomeshi scandal, after the tragedy of Rehtaeh Parsons, a dozen Dal dentistry students on Facebook openly discuss drugging female classmates and raping them.
There have been complaints about these students’ activities to the Dalhousie University administration since last summer. But the university did nothing at the time because no one was willing to put her name to a complaint.
Bear in mind that these male dentistry students are planning to graduate this spring. Bear in mind that dentists are highly privileged and highly paid professionals. Bear in mind that the only suitable punishment for these male students’ conduct — since they are on the verge of graduation — is not to permit them to graduate.
Sorry is clearly not enough. Otherwise what is the message — that “boys will be boys,” and that it’s fine to threaten to drug and rape women? Would any woman be willing to become a dental patient of these soon-to-be graduates? Would anyone allow their daughter to become a patient?
Note: Articles published by Solidarity Halifax members do not necessarily reflect positions held by the organization.