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Recent Assault Cases Ignite Student's Call for Resources

"I've had a great time [at Harvard] , and I don't want to be cynical," Meakem says," but I also feel for all of the people who have been so miserably misguided and miserably treated, specifically rape survivors at Harvard."

Meakem's sense of frustration with the University's resources available to victims of sexual violence is a sentiment echoed by many coalition members. For some, this has lead to a broader disillusionment with Harvard’s response to student complaints.

"The more I learn about the resources that other Universities have for prevention and support that Harvard by comparison doesn't the more I'm also frustrating that it's something students have to continually raise, instead of some thing lead by the administration."

Although Baldwin acknowledge increased activity by Harvard administrators in response to student concerns, she remains unconvinced of the College’s long-term commitment to dealing with sexual violence on campus.

"Recently I feel that our concerns are starting to be listened to a little more, but there haven't been any concrete commitments to specific changes," Baldwin continues. "It is somewhat frustrating that you don't know if you'll ever see any of these changes instituted during your time at Harvard, especially since other schools have had them for 20 years."

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All the CASV and RUS members The Crimson spoke to complained about the lack of centralized resources on campus, and all addressed the difficulties they would have if they or one of their friends were sexually assaulted.

"With the state of resources the way they are now, I still wouldn't know what to do if I had been attacked like one of the recent campus rape victim ," Karteron says. "That's the scary thing about the way thing are now. People feel very alone."

"I would definitely say that in terms of my safety, the first place I would turn for support would not be Harvard," she adds. "It would be an outside institution."

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