Last week, Colorado College screened “The Hunting Ground,” a well-received documentary that tackles the issue of sexual assault on college campuses.
“The Hunting Ground” is a powerful indictment of college administrations, arguing that they consistently fail to address rape allegations. The film points out that administrators have a perverse incentive to keep sexual assault statistics low: they do not want to sully their image.
No college wants to admit to prospective and incoming students that their chance of being sexually assaulted could be as high as 20 percent. Thus, colleges make it extremely difficult for survivors to report their assault or ignore their reports altogether.
The film starts out on a surprisingly optimistic tone. The introduction shows funny clips of people’s reactions to their college acceptance letters that had the whole room laughing. This lighthearted beginning is likely meant to remind the audience that college is supposed to be a wonderful time, not a hunting ground.
From then on, the film takes on a far more ominous tone. Numerous survivors are interviewed, including several male survivors. Of particular focus are Andrea Pino and Annie Clark, two survivors-turned-activists from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
“The Hunting Ground” includes graphic and detailed descriptions of sexual assault. Due to the traumatic content, chaplains and counselors stood outside the doors and private discussion spaces were available for students who needed them.
While administrations were the main target of the film, sports teams and fraternities were also held in the spotlight. CC made it mandatory for student athletes to view the film. All sports teams were in attendance, except for two that were unavailable who would view it later.
“I’m glad the movie came to campus,” said Jesus Loayza, the president of Colorado College’s Phi Gamma Delta chapter. “Although I firmly believe that male Greek Life is in no way a contributor to sexual unsafety on this campus, I do see there is always room for improvement. It was a moment for self-reflection for the entire chapter.”
Although the subject matter of the movie is depressing, the film ends on a surprisingly hopeful note as it documents efforts to fight back (such as The Mattress Performance) and calls on the audience to take action.
After the film, there was a panel discussion with President Jill Tiefenthaler, Senior Associate Dean of Students Rochelle Mason, and co-chair of SOSS Spencer Spotts. Questions could be submitted anonymously.
The screening was held in Armstrong Theater. By 6:50 p.m., 10 minutes before the start of the film, the first floor was full, and more people were entering. Over 400 people RSVP’d on Facebook and even more actually attended. Response to the film has been generally positive.
“I felt as though ‘The Hunting Ground’ was a very necessary film to watch for many groups on campus,” said one student who wished to remain anonymous. “It seems like too often people are unaware of how prevalent sexual assault is and the implications of reporting it.”