Bandola's Banter
Eva Bandola, bandole@miamioh.edu
Swipe it on before a night out to New Bar, Brick Street or Three Trees and you'll be safe. Dip your fingertips into your Redskin at Broken Clock or that Cosmo at TiniTuesdays and nothing bad will happen. Buy this product and your likelihood of being raped will decrease. Purchase "Undercover Colors" in order to combat yourself from men who are willing to take advantage of you, because your choice matters.
This past summer, three men from the University of North Carolina stumbled upon an idea that would generate them publicity and hopeful profits. They believe their chemically engineered nail polish, will be a quick fix in combatting campus rape. "Undercover Colors" is their ingenious business venture in order to stop sexual assaults specifically in places where alcoholic beverages are being poured.
Their nail polish has been crafted to change colors when it comes in physical contact with Rohypnol, Xanax and GHB. It will supposedly give way to "any woman empowered to discreetly ensure her safety by simply stirring her drink with her finger. If her nail polish color changes, she'll know that something is wrong."
Although I applaud their efforts, it is appalling to hear this perspective. A woman needs to go out of her way by using beauty products to protect herself from predators? Many will argue, "Just don't buy it." Just don't donate to their cause or business venture.
This is exactly what is wrong with the product itself. It has nothing to do with purchasing the nail polish; it deals with what happens when I don't purchase it, will it be my fault if I get roofied at the side of the bar this weekend and potentially be raped?
This product puts emphasis not on the perpetrator but the victim himself or herself.
Rape, specifically on college campuses, is a serious issue that is conquering colleges nationwide. Approximately 15 percent of women within their lifetime will be sexually assaulted. Look around, that is one out of five women in classes, sororities, sports teams and workplaces. In a study conducted by Center for Disease Control in 2009, 20 percent of college women by the time they are seniors will be victims of rape.
Despite how euphoric we believe Miami to be, incidences such as sexual assault occur here in Oxford as well.
As a campus, I believe that we should stand together against such horrific offenses in any way we can.
Whether that's joining one of Miami's clubs or organizations, or simply educating yourself here, I believe that Miami could be a leader in combating sexual assault on college campuses.