How UNCC deals with rape and sexual assault

By: Natalie Elliott

As a student at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, I believe that the campus is a very safe and inspiring environment to grow and learn. I have not personally been involved in any situation that I felt I could not handle, but it goes without saying that no matter where you go there will always be some level of trouble and crime. There have been numerous cases in the news regarding rapes and sexual assault accounts and many of them being near or on a college campus. In fact, between 20% and 25% of women will experience some form of rape or sexual assault during their time in college, around 50% of sexual assault events dealing with college students involve alcohol consumption, and over half of raped college women do not reveal their incidents to anyone[1].

At UNCC, there are many resources for students in need of any help such as class scheduling, studying for exams, making friends, etc. There are also resources for students who feel unsafe or who need to deal with personal incidents of sexual abuse. There is one resource called R.A.D. (Rape Aggression Defense). This program is a women’s only twelve hour course that teaches defense moves that are extremely useful when being attacked and also tips for avoiding situations that involve attackers. Once a woman completes this program she will receive a certificate and the ability to retake the program for free anywhere in the U.S. or in Canada[2]. I have not completed the course but I would still strongly recommend it to every woman, student or staff member, on campus.

Not only is there a physical program for people of UNCC, but there are also helpful links on the UNCC webpage itself (uncc.edu). Under “Police and Public Safety” here is a link for anyone to anonymously submit information about an unconsented sexual happening and, with permission, can gain access to the Dean and director of student conduct and outreach[3].

There are so many safety precautions and life lines on the campus of UNCC that I could go on and on. There is the UNCC ID card that only lets the right people in dorm buildings, the many blue emergency button poles scattered perfectly everywhere, the always-on-call police staff, counselors specifically trained to aid rape victims, and more. In my opinion, I think UNCC does a great job at keeping its students safe and I don't think there is much more that could possibly be done. Yes, sadly, sexual assault and rape both have happened on campus but I believe this campus is one of the safer ones and I am proud to be a part of it.

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[1] Gray, Robin. Campus Safety Magazine, "Sexual Assualt Statistics." Last modified March 06, 2012. Accessed January 31, 2014. http://www.campussafetymagazine.com/Channel/Public-Safety/articles/2012/03/Sexual-Assault-Statistics-and-Myths.aspx.

[2] University of North Carolina at Charlotte, "R.A.D. (Rape Aggression Defense)." Accessed January 31, 2014. https://police.uncc.edu/community/rad-rape-aggression-defense.

[3] University of North Carolina at Charlotte, "Confidential Report (Blind Report) Incident of Sexual Assault." Accessed January 31, 2014. https://police.uncc.edu/clery/campus-security-authorities-csas/confidential-report-blind-report-incident-sexual-assault

The Reality of Strip Clubs

The Reality of Strip Clubs

Through popular music videos and television shows, strip clubs are shown in a glamorized light with sexy exotic dancers, filthy rich bachelors, and plenty of cash. However, with the flashy perception of the clubs, little knowledge is given towards the treatment and rights of strippers. 

With its existence, beginning in the 18^th century by London elite gentlemen, it was made purposeful for the entertainment of men. It was not until the 19^th century’s Reform Acts, in which the clubs became more popular. ^[1] During such era, the establishments were called gentlemen’s clubs and had strict memberships, intended for men who shared similar interests. In addition, the clubs were intended for an environment for men to interact with each other rather than for sexual entertainment.

Today, there is a distinction between strip clubs and gentlemen clubs. A major difference is the upper clientele and more expensive prices that gentlemen clubs have, in comparison to strip clubs. ^[2] Nonetheless, both clubs serve a purpose as “a harmless environment for men to be entertained by women.” ^[3] Some even claim that the clubs help to avoid adultery and allow an outlet for sexual yearnings, while others criticize that it gives men the power over women.

Regardless of its purpose, less emphasis is given towards the employees: the exotic dancers. Given their misconceived image of high, yet easy income, strippers are often placed in mistreating work environments. With the high risk that comes with being a dancer, it is assumed that numerous protection laws and rights would be placed for the stripping industry. However, while laws do exist, many of them pertain to age limitations and alcohol intake. For instance, full nudity strip clubs often prohibits alcohol, while semi-coverage allows for the serving of alcohol. ^[4] Although the laws seem reasonable, there are no harsh laws given in place for the contact of strippers and patrons. Strippers face risky interactions with customers daily, hence some statistics include: 61% have been spit on, 72% have been punched, 89% have been called a bitch, and more than 60% have faced sexual abuse with customers grabbing their breasts, butt, or genital, at least once during their careers. ^[3] Based on the statistics, I do agree with the argument stated previously, that men do act as an authority over women while at strip clubs. With their disrespect and nonchalant attitude toward the well-being of the entertainers, many customers treat the women as though they are worthless. Despite the ill treatment, some dancers remain dedicated to their careers, as eight percent of dancers have worked for over twenty years. ^[5]

            The stripping industry has various misconceptions that often strippers fall victim to belief of. According to the U.S District Court of New York, strippers are employees and not independent contractors. ^[6] While strippers are thought of as being their own contractors, a management still exists as it controls and watches over the working conditions.  Strip club employers are subject to pay for worker’s compensation, social security, and minimum wage for dancers. However, it is illegal for employers to take any of the stripper’s tips or require them to tip other employees, although it is ^[7] Despite the negative truth behind the industry, there are positive truths to the workers, in which 1 out of 3 dancers are in college, while 91% of strippers raised in a religious homes continue to have close relationships with their parents. ^[5]

expected for strippers to “underwrite the remainder of [their coworkers] wages.”

            Furthermore, as the industry is often perceived as a way to get easy money, it still involves the risk of harmful consequences, such as sexual abuse. While strip clubs remain popular, it is clear that they are not going out of business anytime soon. However, I do feel that it is necessary to implicate more restrictions and laws for the industry, in order to protect the well-being of the dancers.

[1] "Gentlemen's Club History." Gentlemen's Club History. http://www.gentlemensclubreading.com/gentlemens_club.html (accessed January 31, 2014).

[2] "Strip Club Vs Gentlemen's Club - What's The Difference." Strip Club Vs Gentlemen's Club - What's The Difference. http://www.slideshare.net/flag3stone/strip-club-vs-gentlemens-club-whats-the-difference (accessed January 31, 2014).

[3] Holsopple, Kelly . "STRIP CLUB TESTIMONY." Object.org. http://www.object.org.uk/files/Strip_club_study%20Holsopple.pdf (accessed January 29, 2014).

[4] Thomson Reuters. "Strip Club Laws and the Regulation of Sexually Oriented Business." Findlaw. http://smallbusiness.findlaw.com/business-laws-and-regulations/adult-entertainment-law-zoning-and-other-regulations.html (accessed January 30, 2014).

 [5] Greenpson, Sam. "11 Eye-Opening Statistics About Strippers - 11 Points." 11 Eye-Opening Statistics About Strippers - 11 Points. http://www.11points.com/Dating-Sex/11_Eye-Opening_Statistics_About_Strippers (accessed January 29, 2014).

[6] Cook, Dan. "Strippers are employees, not independent contractors." Employee Benefits News & Data for Benefits Brokers, Benefits Managers & Retirement Advisors. http://www.benefitspro.com/2013/10/15/strippers-are-employees-not-independent-contractor (accessed January 29, 2014).

[7] "Stripper Labor Rights 101 « License to Pimp." License to Pimp RSS. http://licensetopimp.com/stripper-labor-rights-101/ (accessed January 30, 2014).

Life Outside of the Gender Binary

By: Mekenzie Enloe

            Society insists that when a baby is born it is either male or female with no in-between.  The reality is that some children are not born this way.  Some babies are born “intersexed.”  Intersex or hermaphroditega is “a general term used for a variety of conditions in which a person is born with a reproductive or sexual anatomy that doesn’t seem to fit the typical definition of female or male.”[1]  When parents are put in this situation they must ask themselves whether they want to let their youngster stay “intersexed” until it is certain which gender is correct or whether they want to pre-select a gender and hope they are right.

            There are many types of intersex, but the one I want to focus on is partial androgen insensitivity syndrome.  This occurs when the sex is unclear, meaning that either the clitoris is too large to be labeled as female genitalia or the penis is too small to be labeled as male genitalia.  Many parents choose to have a corrective surgery when their baby is born, but this brings up ethical issues.[2]  In my opinion, it is better to wait until the kid hits puberty and is able to become the person that he or she wants to be.  By doing is this way the parent does not have to risk choosing the wrong children and their child having issues of self-identification.

            Try to imagine yourself as a parent having a new child and ask yourself what you would do if the sex was not clear.  The Burdett family, rather than having to imagine what they should do, had to physically endure this situation.  The mother of this family was giving birth to her third child and when the baby came out she expected the doctor to say, “Congratulations, it is a girl (or boy)!”  What she heard instead would forever change her life.  The doctor told her that her baby had partial androgen insensitivity syndrome and that the family needed to decide what measures they wanted to take.  Being that the baby was born with 46 XY chromosomes the mother asked if it would make sense to pre-assign the baby as a male and the only response Dr. Leclerc could give was that “PAIS was complicated by many factor beyond DNA and hormones.”[3]  While this document did not give the decision of the parents, I can sympathize with the conflict these parents had to endure.

            Why as a society do we make this saddening story even more of a disaster?  The idea that a child must fall at one end or the other of the gender binary makes everyone feel like if they do not fit the categories that something is wrong with them.  These intersex children cannot change their DNA or take the problem away.  People need to do more to make these children feel normal and parents need to allow their children to make the decision on their own.

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[1] Moore, Crystal. “The Role of Sex and Gender in the History of Sexuality.” Lecture, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, January 14, 2014.

[2] Intersex Society of North America, "Partial Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (PAIS)." Last modified 2008. Accessed January 31, 2014. http://www.isna.org/faq/conditions/pais.

[3]American Medical Association, "Partial Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome." Last modified November 2005. Accessed January 31, 2014. http://virtualmentor.ama-assn.org/2005/11/ccas3-0511.html.