When news broke of Treon Harris’ investigation after being accused of sexually assaulting a woman on campus, theories and possible connections flew around the Internet and in personal conversations.
Some have connected the incident to the Jameis Winston rape investigation that ended without any prosecution. Some connected it to the assaults on and off the UF campus.
Although comparing the Harris incident to other high-profile cases of rape and sexual assaults is to be expected, such comparisons are premature and unproductive.
This is its own unique incident, with a unique alleged perpetrator and a unique alleged victim.
Any argument saying Harris “should have known better” should also be ignored. Yes, Harris was in the national spotlight, especially after his role in leading UF to victory against Tennessee on Saturday. Yes, the recent incidents of assault at UF and the subsequent awareness campaigns mean that all UF students — Harris included — should be more knowledgeable than ever about the awful nature of such acts.
However, the point is that everyone “should know better.” People shouldn’t need constant reminders telling them what is or isn’t OK, especially when it comes to something as serious and harmful as sexual assault.
We have reached a dangerous point in American society when we feel the need to engage in constant education and awareness campaigns about sexual assault. The repulsiveness of this crime should be self-evident.
Many in the national media have praised UF for its prompt and decisive action in response to the allegations against Harris. UF absolutely did the right thing in responding quickly and transparently. The university’s handling of this situation compares favorably to past failures of other universities when dealing with sexual assault investigations.
However, the fact that UF has been singled out as a rare example of competence regarding the issue of sexual assault demonstrates how dire the situation has become.
On college campuses around the country and in American society in general, the issues of rape and sexual assault are still not being given the serious treatment they require. Too many are still likely to engage in victim blaming, like asking what clothes the alleged victim was wearing or how much alcohol they had consumed.
Already, rumors are flying about what motive the alleged victim might have had to falsely accuse Harris. Such rumors are completely baseless and inappropriate in the immediate aftermath of the incident.
Now that Harris has been suspended, we must wait for the University Police to complete what will hopefully be a thorough investigation. Whether or not Harris is ultimately charged or found guilty, this incident is yet another reminder that acts of rape and sexual assault continue to pervade American society.
[A version of this story ran on page 6 on 10/7/2014]
