The pheromone cloud that recently descended upon Madison could scarcely be sliced with a Sawzall. As the isthmus heats up, the clothes come off and summer comes rushing to the fore, it’s not surprising romantic inclinations are slowly but surely usurping academic aspirations in the hearts and minds of the student body. So it’s perhaps not coincidental that Sexual Assault Awareness month overlaps with this seasonal shift in priorities.

Romance and lust are often difficult to disentangle, especially for the masses of under-experienced lovers flirting across campus. Too often the worst manifestations of raging hormones are dismissed as youthful indiscretions or the excusable excesses of an ethanol-riddled mind. This is a large reason why the nationwide epidemic of sexual assault and rape on university campuses has been woefully under-reported.

The Center for Public Integrity recently released data concluding 95 percent of rapes on college campuses go unreported. Even more disgusting, research from the U.S. Justice Department found 1 in 5 college women will be sexually assaulted over the course of their education. On campus, it is estimated over 3,000 rapes occur each year. Adding insult to injury, of the precious few victims courageous enough to step forward and disclose their exploitation, only a fortunate few see their assailants brought to justice.

Many campuses across the country have had high-profile cases where rape victims have come forward only to endure a tortuous process resulting in wrist-slap reprimands for rapists, summer semester suspensions or delayed issuance of degrees. Overall, there has been no trend at the university level for enforcing penalties commensurate with rape deterrence. UW-Madison has been no exception to this heinous disregard for rape victims.

In the past, the administration has dealt lightly with offenders and denied victims their right to have their abusers punished, either by expulsion or prolonged suspension. In the absence of sufficient redress, victims are often required to transfer or continue going to school in close proximity to the individuals who assaulted them.

Admittedly, cases of alleged rape and sexual assault are inherently difficult to corroborate. To a certain extent, this excuses administrative reticence to dole out disciplinary action, but such reasoning does little for victims weighing the benefits of going public in the face of the feeble chance the offenders will be justly punished.

Under the veil of plausible deniability and historically scarce repercussions, one can see how even the rational, sober rapist would not shy away from sexual violence. This odious status quo will continue to foster sexual assault and harbor rapists until a unified effort is made to confront social norms and bend them toward respect and justice.

The base problem, that nurtures our rape culture, finds its roots in society’s ubiquitous and pernicious objectification and marginalization of women. It’s difficult to argue American culture does not remain overwhelmingly patriarchal despite the best efforts of the feminist and other pro-equality movements. For example, Congress remains a huge sausagefest. Only 38 women have ever been Senators and over 80 percent of House Representatives are men.

Such appalling inequalities are the natural outgrowth of a misogynistic society that celebrates feminine sycophancy and hyper-ridicules female leaders. One need look no further than the sexist, disparaging comments made about prominent politicians like Sarah Palin, Hillary Clinton or Nancy Pelosi to see how far we are from a “post-sexist society.”

Despite calling out sexist comments and behaviors that support gender inequality, other factors that facilitate rape and sexual assault must be simultaneously addressed.

The administration must make efforts to achieve credibility with victims, an understanding that rape has serious consequences, and victims will not have to suffer going to school with their abusers.

Serious efforts must also be made to increase the rate at which sexual violence is reported. Organizations like PAVE and the Campus Women’s Center have worked hard on this front, but any comprehensive solution will take broad campus participation. Much can be done to further the understanding of what constitutes sexual violence and increase cognizance of the strong networks of support available to help victims find resolution. Fostering a culture that encourages victim empowerment should be a priority for the Associated Students of Madison and anyone else repulsed by the status quo.

Women must protect themselves and understand the disadvantages they have inherited from our misogynistic society. An emphatic “no” with a swift kick to the balls can do more to promote equality than one might think. In the end it will take everyone looking out for shady behavior and refusing to accept creepy advances as something more innocuous. A good place to start will be attending Take Back the Night, the annual event promoting rape awareness and victim empowerment, tomorrow at 7 p.m. on Library Mall.

Mifflin is just days away and, statistically speaking, there are bound to be incidents of sexual assault. It’s also more than probable someone will be raped — regardless of if it rains.

Sexual assault on campus has become an epidemic. As students, we must demand the administration take the issue seriously and disclose incidents fully despite concerns for UW’s reputation. Victims, current and future, deserve nothing less. We must also hold ourselves to a higher standard, and not just for one month a year.

Sam Stevenson ([email protected]) is a graduate student in public health.