In response to Winthrop University mishandling sexual assault investigations, as written about in a story published by The Johnsonian on March 24, students staged a sit-in on the campus green on April 7.
The sit-in was planned by a new student-founded organization called Winthrop University Students for Survivors. The organization encouraged those in attendance to wear teal in order to show support for people who have endured sexual assault.
“We felt like Winthrop needed to do better and actions needed to come out of this, so with a group of my Delta Zeta sisters, we said, ‘Something needs to come out of this. What are we going to do?’ Then two of my sisters said, ‘We heard good things about a sit-in,’ and then we said, ‘Okay, let’s see how this goes,’ and now there’s a lot of people here, so it’s great,” said Rebecca Knockemus, one of the organization’s leaders.
Multiple students in attendance participated in holding up signs that expressed their most urgent messages to university officials. Other students did not hold up signs but participated in chants that reiterated their purpose in attending and their opinions about the university’s actions regarding sexual assault investigations.
Caleb Sample, a sophomore modern languages major, held a sign that said, “Winthrop employs sexual predators.”
“I’m here because there is a faculty whom my tuition is paying the salary of, and I do not know who it is, and I do not know who to avoid in order not to get assaulted,” said Ami Hughey, a freshman theater, technology and design major. “I am here because there is an evident lack of justice, and there is suppression of female voices, and women are not safe at Winthrop right now.”
Hughey held a sign that said, “Winthrop sides with rapists.”
Hughey was key in leading chants during the sit-in. Students echoed her in chanting sayings such as, “Hold them accountable,” “Silence is not an option,” “Don’t protect your daughters. Educate your sons,” and “My tuition is not for an abuser’s salary.”
Even though the sit-in was student-led, there were still some Winthrop faculty and staff who were seen supporting the cause.
“I’m just here to show support and pass out the ribbons, of course, and let everybody know that we do hear you, and we do care and that it does not just happen to students; it happens to everybody. And so it is something that I think is important to shed light on, and I am glad y’all are doing it,” said Amy Sharpe, executive assistant to the dean of students.
Multiple students in attendance chose to participate in order to stand in solidarity with people that they know who have endured sexual assault while at Winthrop.
“I came here because Winthrop has been kind of terrible about addressing students’ concerns about sexual assault. I know people who have had issues with sexual assault on campus and brought it up to Winthrop, and nothing was done about it. … I feel like people should be able to feel safe on campus,” said Lyn Horton, a junior English major.
“One of my closest friends was sexually assaulted, and Winthrop said they couldn’t do anything because it was female on female, so they just ignored her and told her to be quiet, so I am here for her,” said Maloree
Wheeler, a freshman early education major.
“I am here today because I provided the water bottles for everyone here and because this is really important,” said Scooter Mistretta, a junior musical theatre major. “Winthrop is protecting people who have assaulted people, and Winthrop is actively still paying those assaulters, and that is awful. I also know somebody whose case has been personally mishandled to an egregious extent.”
At the sit-in, students also shared their opinion of the online program, Not Anymore, which Winthrop requires students to take before the start of each school year. The program covers drugs and alcohol, stalking and sexual assault.
“I am sick of what Winthrop has been doing. They make us take this course, Not Anymore, so why are they making us take a course when they can’t even do anything about someone who has been sexually abused on our campus? Then, as soon as we try to challenge it, they try to ignore us and say there is nothing they can do about it. Yes, there is. Why give us a course on this stuff if you are not going to do anything about what your course is trying to prevent,” said a student who opted to not have their name revealed.
It was the intention of Winthrop Students for Survivors, in staging the sit-in, to gain the attention of Winthrop officials. At the April 9 Board of Trustees meeting, there was discussion centered around the sit-in.
“A hot topic with students has been Title IX. For those of you who are unaware, an article came out in The Johnsonian in the past couple of weeks, and it really brought up some sort of tension on campus and a feeling of unrest,” said Student Body President Brandon Jackson at the board meeting. “And students are still talking about it.”
“Just this week, in fact, there was a peaceful protest outside of the campus center on the campus green from 5:30 to 7. … It was simply students congregating together and standing up for what they believe in and using their freedom of speech to talk about events that were highlighted on campus.”
Photo courtesy to Winthrop University Students for Survivors
