Accusations of rape violence circulated online over the weekend, which lead a student organization to file an online petition to remove Acacia from campus.
A petition posted on Change.org Sunday night by the student group F--kRapeCulture is calling for Ohio University’s ACACIA fraternity to be banned from campus because of recent accusations that fraternity members drugged and raped people at off-campus parties.
The petition, which has more than 600 signatures as of Monday evening, was created after posts were made on anonymous mobile apps such as Yik Yak this past weekend that warned about the “Blue House” — a residence located at 59 ½ N. Court St. that has been linked to ACACIA.
“There have been many accusations on Yik Yak throughout this past year that these men drug and rape women,” the petition reads.
“Investigations need to be held and the silence needs to be broken.”
There haven’t been reports of drugging or sexual assault at the “Blue House” location, Athens Police Chief Tom Pyle said.
ACACIA as a whole, not the “Blue House” specifically, received a minor alcohol violation from OU in 2010. Fraternity members had to complete a community service project and were placed on probation for about a year.
Nicholas Loree, president of OU’s ACACIA chapter, declined to comment.
ACACIA's national organization, which OU said is aware of the allegations, didn’t return multiple requests for comment.
Bekki Wyss, a senior studying English and F--kRapeCulture member said F--kRapeCulture aims to create a supportive climate for people who may come forward with a report of sexual assault.
“The real goal of this petition is to reach people who have been drugged and or assaulted at these parties, and if they either get an inner feeling that somebody believes them and somebody supports them, I would consider that a job well-done,” Wyss said.
OU Dean of Students Jenny Hall-Jones released a statement about the petition Monday.
“The safety and security of Ohio University students is always our top priority,” Hall-Jones said. “We take all allegations of sexual violence seriously at Ohio University and will be reviewing the comments on the petition to reach out to people who may have information.”
Hall-Jones said pursuing reports that originate on anonymous apps is difficult. She encouraged students to come forward to report any allegations of sexual misconduct to the university.
Ryan Lombardi, OU vice president for Student Affairs, said he was unaware of the allegations regarding "Blue House" until they circulated on social media.
“We’re looking into it,” Lombardi said. “If we get enough based on lifting up the hood a little bit, then it will lead to absolutely a formal investigation.”
Wyss said F--kRapeCulture knows of approximately six people who might be willing to come forward about their respective sexual assaults at "Blue House."
“We live on a campus that doesn’t tend to support survivors, especially women who are assaulted in ways that the university deems illegitimate, like they were drunk," Wyss said.
Pyle said the department needs more than anonymous social media postings to launch a legitimate investigation.
“There’s no proof we have, other than Yik Yak or things like that, and we deal in the world of proof and fact,” Pyle said. “That kind of allegation is not going to go far.
“It’s very frustrating. I don’t know where to go with that.”
Pyle said indicting an institution would require evidence that there was an “institutional plot” to perform sexual violence.
“I have seen in my career a propensity of sexual violence as a result of the extra curricular activities that go on, and I have to say that social media has made it worse,” he said.
Someone created a petition Monday calling for F--kRapeCulture to be banned. The user said he or she was not a part of ACACIA. F--kRapeCulture is not an organization affiliated with the university so it can't be banned, according to the Campus Involvement Center.
If a fraternity or sorority is banned from campus, it is not allowed to partake in greek life activities or recruit, among other consequences.
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