The President of St. Francis Xavier University has said rape culture will not be tolerated at the school after the displaying of what he said was a “degrading and deeply concerning” sign during homecoming.
The sign, painted on a white sheet and hung on an off-campus house read “Drop-off zone: Acadia girlfriends.”
“Language that objectifies women or makes light of sexualized violence has no place at StFX or in any community,” Andy Hakin wrote in a statement to the community and on social media. “We understand the concern and anger this has caused, both within our own community and beyond it.”
The incident comes less than three weeks after a rape case at Cornell University in New York made global headlines.
Get daily National news
Liz Leclair, an anti-gender-based violence advocate, told Global News there is a recent escalation in attitudes towards sexualized violence.
“This is part of and parcel of the culture that is being created and perpetuated here in Nova Scotia, about women and girls being property, that you can do whatever you want with us,” she said.
The university said it had to intervene twice this weekend to have the sign removed and the matter has now been referred through the university’s disciplinary process.
Leclair said she wants to see accountability be taken by the students involved.
“I think there needs to be a public statement made by the young men involved, acknowledging the harm that they’ve caused, acknowledging the impact this has on women and girls in the community,” she said.
The president of Acadia University, Jeff Hennessy, also issued a statement condemning the act.
Both schools say support is available for those who have experienced sexual violence.
How is this sign promoting rape?
All the gay propaganda hanging everywhere you go in public is offensive also, get rid of it.
@Ablelis
No the problem is that modern women have convinced themselves that they are not accountable for their personal choices. Full stop
There is a rape culture now in Canada, thanks to all of Trudeaus black face friends coming over by the millions.
The majority of men who commented here don’t see the problem with the sign & are crying at the response.
THAT is the problem boys.
Grow up.
My question is the teacher that took the picture stated somewhere that there were worse ones than this that she didn’t feel comfortable posting…is there any back lash to those students. Why did she pick this house these students? This sign says nothing about rape or “bending over while X gives it to ya”. That has more sexual intent than this sign does and yet it’s okay. These boys I am sure were only doing what they thought was a fun tradition and didn’t have any ill intent behind it. Hoco signs like this have been happening for years with no backlash. Maybe they should have put a stop to it years ago. The person who put their address out online should also be held accountable for any threats these boys receive. In my opinion the threats and putting their address out there are worse than this sign.
Everyone needs to do better.
Find the people who organized this hideous sign then publicly name them. They deserve nothing less! Better to learn responsibility when you are young!
Just ban all fraternities.
Babe, 2 things:
1) stop scheduling threesomes with ketamine chasers and you will be ok
2) Remember that Monday morning regret does not absolve you from your poor choices.
Follow those two pieces of advice and you will be just fine
lolz
“an anti-gender-based violence advocate”
Nuff said
Social media is grooming women to see a rapist, before anything else in a man. Lets not fool ourselves, the internet is rife with both misogynistic and androgenistic content.
As non rapist man, its pretty frustrating being called a rapist all the time.
Not saying one way or another. Perception is a funny thing.
But, if a similar sign was hung outside a sorority for boyfriends I don’t think it would get the same blowback.
I don’t get it? How does this sign imply rape? And the commentator “sue” should be ashamed of herself for that accusation
How do read “rape” in these simple words on a bed sheet?
Or, the school could have simply taken the bed sheet down and thrown it in the garbage….
Those men who minimize the meaning of such a sign have likely raped in the past and want to get others to discredit those that fight back. classic victim-blaming. Thousands of years of this so pretty difficult to stop it.
Women’s vigilante groups are springing up worldwide. Fathers and brothers and husbands are joining in and hopefully they can persuade rapists to just stop.
Lighten up folks that sign isn’t insulting in the slightest. Maybe focus on educating and preparing young folks for the workforce so they can pay off that massive amount of debt
The President is clearly feminized and in favour of abortion and the emasculation of men.
The sign is harmless and off campus.