MSU Sex Education Class Falsifies Statistics
Updated: Oct 28, 2020
This example plays into the overarching stigma that sex education courses on college campuses falsify statics to perpetuate a “rape culture.”
Author: Sergei Kelley
On Sept. 25, three students called out Michigan State University’s Sexual Assault and Relationship Violence (SARV) instructors for their use of false statistics.
In a room exceeding more than 100 students, SARV instructors sought to indoctrinate students with the claim that “1 in 5 women will be raped.”
This example plays into the overarching stigma that sex education courses on college campuses falsify statics to perpetuate a “rape culture.”
In a recording taken by an MSU student, an instructor attempted to refute the accurate statistic from the US Bureau of Justice that “1 in 52.6” women will be raped.
Morning Watch Reporter: “More of a comment really, so on the study where it found 1 in 5 women would be raped, the study actually had a lot of errors in it and the authors actually came out and said that and told people that it was being....miscommunication really and the US Justice Bureau has said 1 in 52.6 women. So I’m just wondering…?"
Instructor: “ I’m not sure where you’re getting that, we get all of our, um, actually all of our statistics from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP). Which isn’t necessarily a study but they’ve been surveying for a long period of time and then we also use Department of Justice statistics.”
Morning Watch Reporter: “I’m just saying the study 1 in 5 has been, the authors of that study have come out saying that’s wrong, it’s just...miscommunication.”
Instructor: “I’m just telling you. I appreciate that though”
Student: “No, I agree with him. He’s right.”
The SARV program is required for all first-year students at Michigan State University.
The SARV homepage says that MSU students “will explore the definitions of sexual assault, rape, and relationship violence, and offer ways in which students can become active bystanders in the prevention of sexual violence from occurring to themselves, their friends, and their peers.”
The University threatens to penalize first and second year students who do not attend their respective and required, sex education workshops. The penalty for not attending is limited access to grades and other academic information.
Author: Sergei Kelley