University Tells Rape Victim To Think Of The 'Root Sin' She Committed To Cause Her Attack
At the Christian college Bob Jones University, what do you know? Rape is apparently the fault of the victim, who must have attracted such violence with her own "sin."
A report that one student was turned away from receiving help for the violent attack against her because she had brought the rape upon herself is unfortunately not a movie plot — according to an Al Jazeera investigative report, this is actually happening on the conservative and religious Greenville, South Carolina, campus.
Student Katie Landry, who at 19 years old had never even held hands with a boy, was raped by her supervisor at a summer job. When she returned to Bob Jones University and sought the help and support of Dean of Students Jim Berg, Landry said he turned the table on her and actually found her at fault.
Berg first wanted to know if she had been drinking alcohol or smoking pot, and asked her if she had done something to be "impure." He then suggested that it was her "root sin" that led another man to rape her.
He goes, 'Well, there's always a sin under other sin. There's a root sin.' And he said, 'We have to find the sin in your life that caused your rape.' And I just ran. He just confirmed my worst nightmare. It was something I had done. It was something about me. It was my fault.
Landry eventually withdrew from school.
This is clearly a despicable scenario in which the woman becomes the double-victim — both at the hands of her rapist, and by the university that did nothing to offer her help and counseling following a truly traumatic event.
Instead of spouting hatred and horrible views, Berg should have looked inside himself for a little kindness and respect for women.
