CREDIT: PHOTO VIA FACEBOOK
Written words on a Western student's window causes grief among the London student community.

A message that was advocating sexual violence was found scrawled across an off-campus student neighbourhood window on Epworth Avenue near Western University and King’s University College has caused grief for the London student community.

The message, which read, “No means yes… Yes means anal” was written on the outside of the window, but no further information has been released on who wrote the message.

The Western University housing mediation officer, told the students who were in the house that the message was written on their window, and to wipe down the words (even though they were not the ones to write it,) but it was too late because people passing by had already seen it.

A picture of the incident was taken and shared online, which prompted much discussion.

In an interview with the London Free Press, Glenn Matthews, the housing mediation co-ordinator for both Western and Fanshawe, said he spoke with the students and reinforced the seriousness of the message.

“I talked to them . . . They woke up and said it was on their window from the night before,” he said. “I made it very clear to them the message was totally inappropriate, totally unacceptable and I don’t think I could’ve made it any plainer that the university can’t tolerate this stuff.”

What caused even more grief was what Matthews said right afterwards, about the incident as a whole.

“I get it: the message is really bad, but students do dumb things,” he said.

Matthews has since apologized for his words.

A statement signed by Jana Luker, Western University’s associate VP (student experience) was later released.

Western takes full responsibility for not responding to the incident adequately. Given the content of the message, others should have been mobilized immediately to assist the housing mediation officer when the incident came to light, including Western’s sexual violence prevention and education co-ordinator, Western Campus Community Police Service and the London Police Service, to ensure a thorough and appropriate response, the statement said.

The university is reviewing the way it responds to these kinds of “serious situations” according to the statement.

The incident is being investigated by the London Police, as well as the Western Campus Police, who are looking at this as a Code of Student Conduct violation.

Glenn has since apologized and expressed sincere regret that his comments dismissed the seriousness of sexual violence and served to damage the University’s initiatives to eliminate such abhorrent activity, the statement said.

“The statement scrawled on the Epworth Avenue address is disgusting and there is no excuse for those words being posted. They have no place in our community, or anywhere. None of these outcomes were my intent and I am sorry my words caused harm or distress to anyone,” Matthews said.

Matthews refused to further comment. Though she cannot comment directly at what happened at Western, Leah Marshall, Fanshawe’s sexual violence prevention advisor, said this incident gives people the opportunity to once again talk about rape culture, which is still something within the community.

“This is an ongoing issue. I think that when something like this is brought to the for front, as it was with what happened at Western, it’s a good opportunity, as upsetting as it is, for people to become more aware [of the issue of sexual violence or rape culture,]” Marshall said.

“Here at Fanshawe, when we talk about the cultural shift that we want to see, the shift that we’re talking about is the shift [away] from rape culture.”

Marshall said the idea of sexual violence is a term that encompasses anything from physical sexual violence, harassment such as things written in sexist and misogynistic language on a window and anything related to homophobia and transphobia.

Marshall said the community at Fanshawe works really hard to help educate students, and letting them know that a joke, or a prank or anything that includes sexual violence is unacceptable.

“[Sexual violence] not a joke and it’s part of the culture which makes it difficult for survivors to come forward and to feel as though they will be believed,” Marshall said.

Marshall said sexual violence happens all the time, but this incident gives the community a chance to see what more they do, while listening to the needs of the students.

Marshall said the community at Fanshawe wants to make people know that any kind of inappropriate behaviour on any campus, in any city anywhere is not acceptable.

“That type of sexual violence people may say it’s a joke or prank, but it is sexual violence and it contributes to the greater rape culture,” she said.

Marshall said people do not realize what really contributes to the “culture”, but conversation “opens up the view and provides education of sexual violence that hurts and oppresses people.”

Marshall’s main message is simple.

“We all have a role to play in ending rape culture. We all have a role to play on creating a safer campus, whether that be intervening as a bystander, if you see something or hear something happening, in a safe way if possible. But there’s passive ways to. If you see something written somewhere, or see something online and you know that it is sexual violence and you know it does not belong there, and it’s only serving to hurt and oppress people in our community, the that could be something that you could bring forward.”

Marshall said everyone has a role to play and there is a community response when it comes to sexual violence.

“We want individuals to know that confidential support is available,” she said. “We believe survivors and we are here to support them if this is the path that they choose to take.”

Marshall’s final words indicate that any language and comments like the ones in this particular case, are not acceptable, and are forms of sexual violence that need to be recognized for what they are.

“It’s important for students to know that if they’ve seen something like this and it is triggering and it has caused them to feel unsafe, that we are here to support around that as well,” Marshall said.

“If there is something that causes you to feel unsafe, the supports are here and available to you. It doesn’t just have to be a physical act of sexual violence.”