When Silence Protects the Predator
ECU’s Third Reported Rape This Semester Is a Failure of Leadership
Another rape…
(It makes me sick to type that)
That’s three this semester at East Carolina University.
According to WITN’s report, ECU Police confirmed the third alleged assault occurred between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m. on October 8 in Jones Hall, but was not reported until a week later; earlier incidents happened in Tyler Hall and Fletcher Hall.
That’s not a “coincidence.”
That’s a pattern, and it demands confrontation, not press statements and promises.
Parents Must Become the Pressure
When a student is assaulted, families are told to trust the process, but what does that mean when the process keeps failing?
Parents can’t sit quietly while universities prioritize image over integrity. The parents of these victims should be unapologetically aggressive in demanding answers and accountability.
Ask the hard questions:
Is there a pattern, and if so why is it not shared so it is not replicated?
What changes were made after the first and second incidents?
Why was a third assault even possible?
What concrete safety measures are being put in place today, not next semester so these young adults, learning to live on their own can have fun, party, and not be stripped of what happens to their body?
When parents push hard, administrators listen; when they stay quiet, PR teams take over to put the reputation of the school ahead of all else. Unfortuantely, college is a business, not a sacred palce for learning.
“Silence doesn’t protect victims; it protects predators.”
If ECU wants to rebuild trust, it needs to stop worrying about headlines and start protecting its students.
Transparency Over Reputation
Every time a university tries to bury a scandal, it kills a piece of its credibility.
ECU, and every college in this country, must understand this: The safety, dignity, and protection of students comes before the reputation of the school every single time.
The public should know:
Where the assault happened
What measures failed
What changes are being made
And when investigations conclude, who is responsible
Sweeping these stories under the rug helps no one but the predator.
The Other Side: False Claims Must Be Exposed
Now let’s be clear, truth matters in both directions.
If a report turns out to be false, that fact should be made just as public as a confirmed assault, and the claimant should face the same punishment as the supposed perpetrator would have. This is not to shame anyone, it’s to maintain trust in the system and prevent movements like #MeToo from being weaponized.
False accusations destroy lives too; and they erode belief in real victims which makes every case more difficult to prosecute.
We can, and must:
Protect victims.
Expose liars.
Punish predators.
Gender be damned, justice demands accuracy, not emotional allegiance.
When Caught “Red-Handed,” No Anonymity
If evidence is clear and guilt is proven, the perpetrator’s name must be made public.
Let the community know what happened, how it happened, and what led up to it; predators thrive in secrecy; exposure is deterrence.
A student body deserves transparency, not whispers.
I don’t give a shit if it’s the star athlete or top academic scholar, if they take sexually assault/rape another student, their ass is grass; prestigious evil does not get privilege because of the money or positive attention it brings into any facility.
The Call for Courage from Parents
Parents, if the question is, “What can I do?” I’ve got an answer:
Schedule meetings.
Demand written timelines for change.
Request public safety audits and quarterly updates.
Insist that residence halls are secure, reporting systems are fast, and investigations are unbiased.
If the administration hides, go public.
If the police stall, file complaints.
If the media ignores it, make noise online.
“Your child’s safety is worth more than the university’s reputation.”
Three rapes in a single semester should have every parent at ECU furious, and vocal.
The university’s response should not be “we’re investigating.”
It should be, “We are fixing this, and here’s exactly how.”
If you’re a parent of an ECU student, don’t wait for another headline; pick up the phone, send the email, demand the meeting.
Your silence could make your child a potential next victim; I will be writing an article on how to educate, prepare, and arm your children with the knowledge and awareness which could keep them from becoming a rape statistic.
- Zac Small