By Eric Mosley

I am supremely disappointed and, most of all, angry with SJU for its handling of the recent sexual assault allegations involving a CSB student and an SJU student.

SJU has taken the wrong actions and has sent the wrong message to both its own students and to other institutions about how to handle allegations such as these.

By suspending the SJU student before the investigation is complete, or any evidence of the alleged sexual assault is presented, SJU is sending a very dangerous message that puts all male students in a perilous position.

I am not denying that the allegation of a sexual assault is a serious issue and must be dealt with seriously.

In fact, I am saying it is such a serious issue that evidence must be presented and the accusation must be proven before any formal action, such as suspension, is taken.

Consideration of how this affects both of the students’ lives is not to be taken lightly. The SJU student has much more to lose from this allegation than the CSB student, and the school doesn’t seem to realize that.

The damage that will be done to a man’s reputation and respect, in everyone’s eyes, is absolutely damning.

Any man who is labeled a rapist automatically loses his manhood in the eyes of society, and it will follow him for the rest of his life.

In fact, as a child I was told by my father that, “Rape is the worst crime any man can commit … worse than murder.”

So it is from this mindset that I say, before that label is even insinuated by a suspension, there needs to be a complete investigation and conviction.

As a man I look at it like this: If I were in the same situation as the alleged, you had better bring more than some he-said she-said argument to the table before you ruin my life.

And I hope this is understood by everyone regardless of what you think took place that night.

I understand that both CSB and SJU have a zero-tolerance policy for sexual harassment and sexual assault, and I honestly believe in that policy.

However, I believe just as strongly that for any zero-tolerance policy, including guns or drugs, allegations won’t do.

Evidence must be found or presented before formal action is taken against a student. That is the responsible thing to do, and both CSB and SJU should know that.

I have a mother, aunts, grandmothers and many women I care about and love in my life, and I fully understand and condone the protection of the sexual rights of everyone.

Under no circumstances, however, are those rights permitted to stifle my right to a fair and just trial before my name and reputation are dragged through the mud.

As we have seen in recent years with the Kobe Bryant rape accusation, and Duke’s lacrosse team scandal, the claims were either dropped or found to be false, and the men were acquitted of the charges.

But by the time the truth came out, the damage to these men’s lives and reputations was done.

I am not trying to speculate guilt or innocence, but I am trying to reiterate that sexual assault allegations carry serious consequences for the accused, and that is dangerous.

The actions taken by SJU in response to the allegation thus far are unacceptable and as SJU students we should not stand for it.

SJU must put measures in place to protect male students’ rights in these situations as well.

I fully understand that the line between protecting men’s and women’s rights in this situation is very thin, but it is a line that must be walked.

Filed under: Opinion by Justin Roth