Hundreds of students protest on the Row

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

Hundreds of students gathered on the Row Monday night for the fifth consecutive day of protests following Wednesday’s sexual assault reports filed to the Department of Public Safety. Filling W. 28th St., protestors held signs reading “Time to pay your dues,” “Put your $$ where your mouth is and fight on for sexual assault victims” and “Why won’t Trojan check this?”

Students created signs at USC village around 4 p.m. before they marched on Hoover Street to the Row, blocking traffic and continuing chants of “If you don’t have my consent, you should fear this discontent.”

Some protesters called for the abolition of Greek life at USC, while others said those demands unfairly implicate sororities, urging instead for fraternity reforms and devoted efforts toward combatting instances of sexual assault from the University.

Organized by the Student Coalition Against Sexual Violence — a collection of University organizations including USC Flow and the Student Assembly for Gender Empowerment — the protest aimed to stand in solidarity with sexual assault victims and address rape culture at USC.

Riddhi Mandavia, the director of education of “Girl Up,” one of the groups that organized the event, said she hopes the protests lead to changes at USC

“There’s no point of doing this every year, every month or every time if there is no conclusion to it and if there’s no real change coming out of it,” said Mandavia, a freshman majoring in psychology. 

On the Row, students — taking up the width of the street — initially stood outside the Sigma Nu house and then moved to other fraternity houses, including Pi Kappa Alpha and Tau Kappa Epsilon. Smaller groups of students then spread out outside different houses on the Row, where speakers spoke about paths forward, including discussions with fraternity members.

“Do we have to explain that it has to be your sister, or it has to be someone that you’re emotionally connected with for you to see us as people?” said Rojan Javaheri, a junior majoring in neuroscience, speaking to a crowd. “I’m very thankful that this is happening … but I’m also a little bit scared because these things happen and then, a month later, nothing else is happening. We’re out here, we’re marching, we’re having conversations. But I really hope that we can turn these conversations into action.”

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After four days of protesters placing signs, sitting on the lawn and holding a candlelight vigil outside of the Sigma Nu house, today a gate blocked the property off.

With the house blocked off, students placed signs on the fence that surrounds Sigma Nu’s property.

“We see you. We hear you. We believe you. Believe we standby you. All survivors deserve better,” one sign read.

“Fuck your brotherhood,” another read.

Ashwini Balaganesh, like other protesters, criticized the initial DPS email for placing the responsibility of not being sexually assaulted on the survivors, not perpetrators.

“Losing a drink isn’t what causes rape, walking by yourself doesn’t cause rape. Rapists cause rape,” said Balaganesh, a junior majoring in mechanical engineering.

Brett Landin, a junior majoring in psychology, said the issues of sexual assault and battery extend beyond the Greek life community, and that she came to the protest to express support for survivors and demand University action.

“I hope to see changes not only within Greek life and the fraternity councils, but also just [with] men at USC in general. I think that this isn’t an independent event with one fraternity and one component of USC,” Landin said. “This is men in general, this is sexual assault in general, this is demanding that USC get involved, whether it’s on or off campus.”

Throughout Monday, Instagram accounts such as @uscmetoo detailed additional anonymous sexual assault accusations from USC students, many of which allegedly occurred at fraternities.

One freshman said she went to a fraternity party by herself this year and was drugged then sexually assaulted.

“The whole night is fuzzy …  I only remember snippets. I didn’t realize my drink was laced until I started putting pieces of that night together,” she wrote on the Instagram post. “I had my cup covered with my hand so I thought … Later in the night I just remember not really being able to walk properly and my vision was everywhere.”

In an email late Wednesday night, DPS disclosed a report of sexual assault and drugging at the Sigma Nu fraternity house. The following day, the department reported seven more cases of sexual assault and drugging, six at Sigma Nu and one at an undisclosed location.

Additional reports of sexual assault and druggings occurred at other fraternity houses on the Row, DPS wrote in a communitywide email Saturday. The DPS crime log from Saturday through Monday was not updated in time for publication.

Sexual assault is a larger problem at USC than it is at other Universities, according to a 2019 Association of American Universities study that found nearly one out of three women undergraduates at USC experience sexual assault. According to the study, one out of four undergraduate women at other universities are sexually assaulted.

At the protest Monday, one speaker said she is angry but unsurprised by the sexual assault reports, citing USC’s Greek life culture. 

“I am more than angry. I am livid. I can’t even describe the words to describe how I’m feeling,” she said through a megaphone. “But as devastating as this news is, I think I can speak for everyone when it’s also, unfortunately, not surprising at all.”

Across the country, multiple protests occurred this year at other universities regarding sexual assault at fraternities. At Syracuse University, around 200 students protested outside the Interfraternity Council Chapter following sexual assault reports at fraternities, criticizing systemic issues within fraternities and their Title IX offices. 

At Northwestern University, 2,000 students protested outside their Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity house following multiple reports of druggings.

Hannah Woodworth, executive aid to Undergraduate Student Government President Alexis Areias, said the University can make it easier for survivors to report instances of assault.

“I think having a more direct channel in which victims can report their abuse, in which there is a much faster turnaround time is crucial to making sure survivors receive the help and support and that we can help mitigate the prevalence of this on campus,” said Woodworth, a junior majoring in journalism.

The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed to the Daily Trojan Friday that former Sigma Nu President Ryan Schiffilea is the “main suspect” in the Sigma Nu accusations but has not been arrested or charged. 

“I can’t believe that it’s taken us this long to have to come here and I don’t know how much longer it’s going to take before USC starts to give a shit,” said Aastha Jani, a junior majoring in communication. “We need to stand here in solidarity to eventually one day actually abolish the system of Greek life. But at least until then to keep this energy up, to fuck your brotherhood and to hold your brotherhood accountable for what they are and what they are upholding.”

Christina Chkarboul, Bella Durgin-Johnson, Sasha Ryu, Tricia Saputera and Jenna Peterson 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.