The College Fix

OPINION

As a mother of a young girl and as a former college student who attended more parties than she should have, and drank more than she should have, I can say advice I’d give my daughter when she heads off to college is: Don’t get wasted!

Now, I’d say that for any number of reasons, including health and safety. But the main reason I’d give it to her is because women are apt to make stupid decisions when they’re inebriated. Does that excuse rape or sexual assault? No. Is it advice that blames the victim? No. Is it good, honest guidance? Yes!

Yet twice in the last month, men who have suggested college women watch their alcohol intake to help avoid getting themselves into situations where they might be assaulted have been completely vilified by militant feminists and misguided college students.

The former president of The George Washington University is one such man. He offered practical advice for college women, saying: “Without making the victims responsible for what happens, one of the groups that have to be trained not to drink in excess are women. They need to be in a position to punch the guys in the nose if they misbehave. … And so part of the problem is you have men who take advantage of women who drink too much and there are women who drink too much. And we need to educate our daughters and our children in that regard.”

Another was a male campus columnist for the University of Arizona student newspaper, whose students actually protested him yesterday for encouraging women to drink responsibly along with this advice: “Girls — go out in groups, keep an eye on each other, designate a driver. And bring your common sense.”

These two men were accused of idiocy and “victim blaming.” And thus, the so-called campus rape epidemic has now compelled feminists to defend the right of underage girls to get completely blitzed, as one commentator puts it.

As to the notion that telling women not to get hammered is akin to telling her it’s her fault she gets raped – that’s a logical fallacy. We’re not saying if you get drunk and get raped it’s your fault, we’re saying take proactive measures to avoid it.

But we shouldn’t have to take proactive measures to avoid it, is the common reply, one that was suggested at the Arizona campus rally, for example. We should change men to be docile, respectable creatures.

To the first argument, you’re right – it’s too bad we have to take proactive measures, but this world is an ugly place. So don’t live in denial. That’s not going to help you. To the second argument about the nature of men, hey – women have been trying to change men since the dawn of time and look how well that’s worked out for us.

The bottom line: It’s OK to blame the rapist for raping, and it’s OK to say to a young girl: “Don’t drink too much. For a lot of good reasons.”

I plan to tell that to my daughter at the right time. And I wish, in retrospect, I’d have known and followed this advice as a college student myself.

Jennifer Kabbany is editor of The College Fix ( Follow Jenn on Twitter at: @JenniferKabbany )

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