Posters stating “stop supporting a rapist” were scattered across Yale’s campus this week, according to reports in the Yale Daily News. Those words are reportedly aimed at the Yale men’s basketball team.
The campus newspaper says posters appeared after the team showed support for one of its players.
Following the powerful posters, the Yale Women's Center posted a message on Facebook but then changed it hours later to eliminate a sentence of speculation. The post said in part "the team's actions appeared to be a dismissal of the very real threat of sexual violence. We believe that their actions, and some community members' responses, reflect toxic attitudes that persist on our campus."
At this point, the allegations have not been confirmed by the university or local authorities. New Haven police say they are not investigating sexual assault allegations against that basketball player.
When asked about it, the school did not directly address the issue. Instead, the university cited federal law when it comes to the privacy of student records, saying in part "all student educational matters, including disciplinary matters, are a private educational concern between the student and Yale."
While many questions remain unanswered, students believe it's helping to open a broader conversation when it comes to the culture on campus.
"I think the conversations are the most important thing," said Yale freshman Genna Abele.
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"We're all capable of having these conversations. We just need to find the space and the time to have them," said Yale freshman Linette Rivera.
