Tulane's joint hearing board found a student guilty of rape April 18. The board did not suspend or expel the student, and as such, the student remains part of the Tulane community. The accused could not be reached for comment.
Sanctions against him consisted of mandated counseling at the Center for Educational Resources and Counseling, the continuation of a prior order of no communication with the victim and the continuation of a previous prohibition of entering residence halls.
Victim Anna Minkinow believes that those sanctions do not constitute an adequate punishment. She was further disturbed at Crawfest, when the accused approached Minkinow, her mother and her friend Graves Bates and stood 12 feet away from them petting a dog for about 15 minutes.
"Twenty-two hours after he was found guilty and given no punishment, he became instantaneously brazen," Minkinow said.
Minkinow and Bates painted wooden boards with "obscenities to the administration" in order to "get [their] anger out." Once they started working, however, their intentions shifted.
The Protest
"We started writing political messages," Minkinow said. "The boards had such strong messages that we knew someone had to see them."
The boards served as the impetus for Bates and Minkinow's plans for a protest. Bates and Minkinow bound and gagged themselves with a collection of boards to explain their message on Monday morning, at the corner of Drill Road and McAlister Road.
"We had anywhere from 10 to 20 people sit and protest with us," Bates said. "We even had a young man whom we hadn't met before go back to his room and come back with things to bind himself in solidarity with the symbolism we were trying to show."
Bates said that by binding and gagging themselves, they illustrated the silencing of rape victims.
"I think the biggest issue we're trying to address with our protest is that women are encouraged to speak up," he said. "But what happens when a woman speaks up and the punishment is so lax as to be ridiculous?"
2008 Woodie Awards
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 18
Annoyed
posted 5/03/08 @ 7:45 PM CST
I agree that the school has not taken enough action after what this girl suffered, and I agree that he should be expelled if her story can be proven. However, I was extremely disturbed to see that the burden of proof has been lowered to "more likely than not. (Continued…)
Susan Cole
posted 5/04/08 @ 5:16 AM CST
I applaud the courage shown by Anna Minkinow in pursuing this violent crime committed against her. I hope that Tulane will wake up and establish a much more supportive atmosphere for rape victims. (Continued…)
Clay
posted 5/04/08 @ 9:41 AM CST
My sympathies Ms. Minkinow.
TUPD has been on a downward slide ever since the old chief retired a couple of years ago. The TUPD/student rape, the surliness of the new officers, and now this. (Continued…)
Jim
posted 5/07/08 @ 10:17 PM CST
Frankly, the thing I don't get about this is why she didn't pursue REAL charges. What does "creating a safe space" even mean?
I'll tell you how you create a safe space - you send the guy to Angola. (Continued…)
Paul
posted 5/08/08 @ 6:18 PM CST
Would someone please tell my why the victim in this case is named in your article, but the perpetrator (the guilty perpetrator, as a matter of fact) is known only as "the accused?"
He isn't "the accused. (Continued…)
jon
posted 5/08/08 @ 9:36 PM CST
Why the hell is Tulane the one handing out the charges? Shouldn't NOPD be locking him up?
Pedro
posted 5/12/08 @ 11:41 PM CST
Let me get this straight: Tulane allows rapists to roam freely on campus, but does not allow female students to carry firearms to protect themselves from these ruthless sexual predators?
This is beyond insanity, and an insult to women everywhere!
It is time the women of Tulane stood up for themselves and demanded the right to self-protection. (Continued…)
JMF
posted 5/20/08 @ 4:02 PM CST
Well, my friend, you are somewhat wrong. Years ago a friend of mine was getting in her car after attending a party. It was night. A man forced himself into her car and proceeded to rip her clothes off of her. (Continued…)
BlueJay
JMF
posted 5/21/08 @ 1:49 PM CST
I suggest that any man or woman who wishes to be educated on how to best avoid date rape should simply google the following phrase: "How to Avoid Date Rape. (Continued…)
troy
troy
posted 7/02/08 @ 5:16 PM CST
no one has taken the initiative to report this to the nopd? not the victim,student(s),administration? you must be kidding me -- why not report this guy to the nopd right now? do you enjoy having a known rapist on campus, sharing a classroom with you? -- is there that much apathy at this institution?-- this is embarrassing
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