Students hold vigil honoring sexual assault survivors

Content warning: This article contains references to sexual assault and violence.

Holding candles, having a moment of silence and sharing experiences, students gathered outside the Sigma Nu fraternity house Friday night for a vigil honoring sexual assault survivors following two days of protests after Wednesday’s sexual assault reports from the Department of Public Safety.

Speakers voiced support for survivors and criticized patriarchal systems, the University’s lack of transparency and the culture that allows for sexual assault, racism and homophobia within Greek life. Other students came forward and shared their own experiences with sexual assault, some of which occurred on that very street. 

“First off, I want to say to survivors: ‘We stand with you. We are fighting for your justice.’ This work does not end tonight. It does not end when all of these rapists are in prison. And it does not end until USC does more than meaningless words. And it does not end until patriarchy, in all of its shitty ways, is dismantled,” said Harriet Taylor, a senior majoring in English, narrative studies and literary editing and publishing. 

More than 30 students gathered in the USC Village at 6 p.m. holding signs before walking to the Row to join the vigil while chanting “Frat Row has got to go!”

During the vigil, a community-wide email sent by President Carol Folt and Acting Vice President for Student Affairs Monique Allard received criticism from multiple speakers as an insufficient and late response, sent nearly 48 hours after DPS’ initial email.

“USC has a history of sweeping things under the rug,” one speaker said. “We can’t allow this to be swept under the rug anymore. 48 hours is still too long.”

Mariana Kramer de Luna, a prevention specialist at Relationship and Sexual Violence Prevention mentioned RSVP’s underfunding and the lack of urgency USC has when conducting investigations.

“The moment a girl comes forward and she reports and she takes the time to relive her story, USC will turn a blind eye and give an investigation. But what the investigation doesn’t tell you is the trauma and everything that she has to relive,” said Kramer de Luna, a junior majoring in political science and gender and sexuality studies. 

Earlier in the day, protesters marched to the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity house, where Alyssa Delarosa, a senior majoring in psychology, used a megaphone until members left the house to see the protesters. After a confrontation outside the house, members joined the protest outside Sigma Nu and attended the vigil that night.

Hayden Miller, who attended Friday’s vigil, lived in the Sigma Nu House until Thursday, where he had been a member since the spring semester. The morning after DPS’ Wednesday email, he dissociated from the fraternity and moved out. 

In an interview with the Daily Trojan Saturday, he said his decision to leave the fraternity was motivated by systemic issues within Greek life.

“If you’re part of a company and one of your co-workers goes out and does some horrific act, you don’t leave that company because it’s one co-worker in one isolated incident,” said Miller, a sophomore majoring in philosophy, politics and economics. “But if there’s been systemic issues of whatever that horrific act is going on in the company for decades and decades, even though the majority of people are good people, you leave. You leave and you work to actively combat those things that are occurring again and again.” 

Celia Bartel, a junior majoring in political science and co-Executive Director of the Student Assembly for Gender Empowerment, said they question Greek life’s role in the protests.

“I don’t really see how people who are involved in Greek life can separate themselves from Greek life and also support our cause here, which is to stop sexual assault in the USC community,” Bartel said. “Because it is so perpetuated through Greek life.”

Former Sigma Nu President Ryan Schiffilea is the “main suspect” in the reports and was questioned by the Los Angeles Police Department last week. There have been no arrests or charges, LAPD confirmed to the Daily Trojan Friday.

Delarosa said she knocked on fraternity doors, shouting through her megaphone for members to join the vigil.

“To all the brothers that are here tonight from different fraternities. I understand that you have found your community in your home. I’m sure one of your brothers has information that will give these victims justice,” Kramer de Luna said. “I strongly urge you to start thinking about your brothers who actually care about this and to tell everyone that you know to take accountability.”

Kramer De Luna said she hopes for University action and accountability.

“USC, if you are watching this. If you are listening to anything your students are saying, please for once in your whole institutional life, give a crap about your students,” Kramer de Luna said. “Stop caring about the money, stop raising tuition for the fact that no change ever gets made in this school until students are fucking raped.”    

Amina Niasse contributed to this report.

If you are in need of support, here are some resources you can contact:

USC Relationship and Sexual Violence Prevention and Services: Located at Engemann Student Health Center Suite 356. Individuals can call (213)-740-9355 and request to speak with an advocate or counselor. Services are confidential. 
Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN): A free, confidential hotline that is active 24/7. Individuals can call (800)-656-4673.

Correction: A previous version of this article referred to Mariana Kramer de Luna as de Luna. Her last name is Kramer de Luna. The Daily Trojan regrets this error.