Editor, Daily Nexus,

As a female student at UCSB, I wanted to respond to Witton’s letter (“Media Should Not Label Frimpong As Guilty Just Yet,” Daily Nexus, Feb. 27), in order to make sure she is aware of just how much damage she’s doing. Clearly, Witton’s hope was to defend the accused, which is fine, but there was no reason for her to discredit those who have come forward in the process. It takes an immense amount of courage for someone who has been sexually assaulted to come forward, and it is our responsibility to support these people. Instead, Witton chooses to trivialize these victims’ stories by prefacing her letter with a description of Isla Vista as a place of “uncertainty,” where everything that goes on is hazy in our minds, as if that is reason enough to disregard any unwanted experiences one might have. While I.V. may be a giant party on the weekends, that in no way implies that people don’t have to be held accountable for their actions when they are in Isla Vista; additionally, none of us should regard the things that happen to us while partying in I.V. as an unfortunate, yet unavoidable, part of I.V. life. Weekend parties in Isla Vista and sexual assault are not a package deal.

It makes sense that Witton wants to defend Frimpong’s name, as any friend would. What is extremely upsetting is the fact that she felt the only way she could do this was by attacking the claims of those who have already been attacked, by acting as if the claims of these women are not really all that credible and can be explained away as a hazy night in I.V. None of us know what really happened, but that is no reason to discredit these women.

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