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I know it's been a while since I've written, but I hope to be more regular after this week. We recently had a tragic incident in the residences on campus- a student stabbed his girlfriend (also a student) to death. Working in student affairs, we unfortunately see these things too often on college campuses, but that never makes things easier to understand. My office is in the Centre for Student Support Services where all of our counselors and psychologists sit so we have been flooded with students and staff to help provide any support and guidance we are able to provide. I have been working with the Student Mentors in the residences over the past few months, so I have been meeting with some of them to help them through this difficult time. Once again, it's never easy.
As a university, we are wondering why we let this happen. This man had a history of violence against his girlfriends; he was banned from the university due to violence against his ex-girlfriend; this new girlfriend, knowing his history with women, let him illegally stay in her room; and it was this new girlfriend who he murdered. To add, he was a member of the university rugby team (where most of them were very aware of his violence), many of the students in the residences were also aware of his violent behavior and knew he was illegally squatting in this woman's room, had a file with the Proctor's Office on complaints and incidences…the list goes on. The rugby team is questioning themselves why they never said or did anything, students in the residences are questioning why they never said or did anything, the victim's friends are questioning why they never said or did anything, and the university staff is questioning what we could have done differently. To be fair, I don't know what people did or didn't do, or said, or didn't say before this took place, but the bottom line is, many are questioning themselves as individuals and as a collective.
The students organized a bus to go to the court hearing today to show support for the victims' families and to stand against gender violence at UWC. I have A LOT to say about violence and violence against women in South Africa, but I'll have to write more later. I will definitely be in touch.
I hope you are well,
Christy
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