'Princeton Mom' Susan Patton Weighs In on Campus Rape Situation: 'It's a Learning Experience'
Susan Patton, better known as the "Princeton Mom," recently shared her views on college and acquaintance rape, which she called a "learning experience."
"We're talking about nothing but rape on campus, it seems like, for the last several weeks or months, but I think what makes this conversation so particularly prickly is the definition of rape," Patton said on CNN. "It no longer is when a woman is violated at the point of a gun or knife. We're now talking about, or identifying as rape, what really is a clumsy hookup melodrama, or a fumbled attempt at a kiss or caress."
The country has been discussing college rape after Rolling Stone published an article about the University of Virginia and the case of a student called "Jackie." The story was called into question and now Rolling Stone, the reporter of the story, and even the alleged victim have been blamed for spreading rumors and/or lies. Patton's comments about the situation indicate one side of the argument.
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She also spoke about her own interaction with a rape victims he claims to have spoken to at some point.
"There's rape, and then there's rape. I believe that she [the supposed victim] experienced something that she regretted the next morning. To me, that's not a crime, that's not rape. That's a learning experience. That's a learning experience that has to do with making choices and taking responsibility for the choices you make," Patton said.
The woman famous for her commentary on women's issues, including her belief that women should attend college and get their Mrs. Degree, implying that they should be married immediately, also offered advice for college students.
"Why do you not, as a woman, tell a man who is making advances that you're not comfortable with, 'You know what? Stop, and leave.'"
"Sexual assault happens all too frequently in the U.S.: every two minutes, according to Justice Department statistics. It is our hope that this controversy will not deter victims from coming forward and reporting their assault and receiving the support the deserve," read a statement issued by RAINN, the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network.
