The Problem of Sexual Assault on Campus | The Backstory | The New Yorker

Overview

The video argues that campus sexual assault is much larger and more complicated than the cases reported to universities—the visible “tip of the iceberg.” It says research has often failed to capture the experiences and social conditions beneath the surface.

Emma Sulkowicz’s Case

Columbia student Emma Sulkowicz said she was raped by a fellow student. After Columbia found the accused student “not responsible,” Sulkowicz carried a mattress around campus for a year as a protest. Her action drew national attention and helped spur student activism over the university’s handling of sexual assault. The accused student later sued Columbia, arguing that the mattress project amounted to gender discrimination.

Columbia’s Study

In response to the broader campus debate, Columbia launched SHI—the Sexual Health Initiative to Foster Transformation—a large, multidisciplinary study of undergraduate sexual behavior. Researchers spent time with students in campus settings and interviewed more than 150 of them. The study aimed to understand sexual assault in its full social context, not just through formally reported cases.

Central Argument

The video argues that sexual assault should be understood not only as individual misconduct but also as a public-health problem shaped by the environment. Addressing it may require changes to laws and procedures, as well as to social norms and campus culture. The reporter emphasizes that it remains important to do justice to the issue’s complexity, despite the difficulty of covering it.

Presenter and Contributor

Jia Tolentino is the reporter and narrator. Emma Sulkowicz is discussed in the report.