A
Angie Mejia Sierra
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- Thread Author
- #1
I am writing this because I don’t want to be an “anonymous victim” anymore. I’m tired of hearing about myself as part of the unknown sixteen who were recorded in a vulnerable state in a bathroom in Upper Lasell Fitness Center and made a spectacle of. I have screamed, cried, read all of the articles, pored over the docket, and held myself in tense silence ever since.
I was 19 when I learned that I was a survivor of Hall. I am now 21. Almost two years have passed since I was forced to identify myself, exposed, in a still image in April 2024, and since then, my story has been the source of gossip and scandal.
Talk has swirled around campus since the story broke, but what has truly changed? With the recent attention toward sexual assault at Cornell and the anger at the lack of justice for Jane Doe, I want to remind you: Sexual misconduct, poor responses, and a lax justice system is not limited to the Ivies or other “big name” universities.
Justice James Manitsas, the judge presiding over Hall’s case, recently issued a pretrial sentencing recommendation that Hall, even if found guilty, serves a maximum of 30 days in jail, serving the rest of his time on probation.
To a survivor, this recommendation is a slap in the face. Our pain did not last only 30 days. Mine lasted through my sister’s cancer diagnosis, a breakup, and constant hours of therapy and tears. It came with me as I traveled across the world. I spent nights in Argentina, Mexico, and Spain screaming because of how angry I was at being violated.
The same defenses that we now hear for the perpetrators of the Cornell sexual assault case, I heard about Maxwell Hall. People say that he was “so young,” his “frontal lobe wasn’t developed,” and it was “locker room talk” for the wrestling team. The lack of accountability is appalling.
I recall when the first Rule 12 hearing was over, Justice Jeremy Bucci stated that jail time would undoubtedly be a factor in Hall’s sentence. I hoped there would be a similarly strong stance from Manitsas. As disappointing as the sentencing recommendation was, what was most staggering was the lack of transformative change on campus. The most I heard from the general College community was how disgusting it all was, only for them to go on with their days.
There was no shift in conversation about how something this egregious could happen, how the J. Does were coping, or how we should change campus policy to ensure something like this would never happen again.
Students complain about the amount we talk about consent during First Days, but in reality, one “Speak About It” presentation isn’t enough. There remains a culture where sexual assault is viewed as a spectacle, as the survivor’s responsibility, or as an anomaly.
This is not the first time something like this has happened. There was another case in 2023 of a student photographing students in a bathroom without their knowledge. People like Maxwell Hall are empowered when they are not confronted. When there continues to be rhetoric about “bright futures” and “locker room talk,” the survivors are harmed, perpetrators remain untouched, and potential perpetrators are emboldened.
There needs to be an overhaul of how we address rape culture on an institutional and cultural level, so another case like this will not happen again.
Survivors like me are not your spectacle, but people who need solidarity during an incredibly grueling time.
I thank the Title IX office, Office of Intimate Violence Prevention and Response, and the Williams Rape and Sexual Assault Network for providing their love and support as I heal. I urge all of you to work closely with them to hold each other accountable and grow together.
Angie Mejia Sierra ’28 is an anthropology major from Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
I was 19 when I learned that I was a survivor of Hall. I am now 21. Almost two years have passed since I was forced to identify myself, exposed, in a still image in April 2024, and since then, my story has been the source of gossip and scandal.
Talk has swirled around campus since the story broke, but what has truly changed? With the recent attention toward sexual assault at Cornell and the anger at the lack of justice for Jane Doe, I want to remind you: Sexual misconduct, poor responses, and a lax justice system is not limited to the Ivies or other “big name” universities.
Justice James Manitsas, the judge presiding over Hall’s case, recently issued a pretrial sentencing recommendation that Hall, even if found guilty, serves a maximum of 30 days in jail, serving the rest of his time on probation.
To a survivor, this recommendation is a slap in the face. Our pain did not last only 30 days. Mine lasted through my sister’s cancer diagnosis, a breakup, and constant hours of therapy and tears. It came with me as I traveled across the world. I spent nights in Argentina, Mexico, and Spain screaming because of how angry I was at being violated.
The same defenses that we now hear for the perpetrators of the Cornell sexual assault case, I heard about Maxwell Hall. People say that he was “so young,” his “frontal lobe wasn’t developed,” and it was “locker room talk” for the wrestling team. The lack of accountability is appalling.
I recall when the first Rule 12 hearing was over, Justice Jeremy Bucci stated that jail time would undoubtedly be a factor in Hall’s sentence. I hoped there would be a similarly strong stance from Manitsas. As disappointing as the sentencing recommendation was, what was most staggering was the lack of transformative change on campus. The most I heard from the general College community was how disgusting it all was, only for them to go on with their days.
There was no shift in conversation about how something this egregious could happen, how the J. Does were coping, or how we should change campus policy to ensure something like this would never happen again.
Students complain about the amount we talk about consent during First Days, but in reality, one “Speak About It” presentation isn’t enough. There remains a culture where sexual assault is viewed as a spectacle, as the survivor’s responsibility, or as an anomaly.
This is not the first time something like this has happened. There was another case in 2023 of a student photographing students in a bathroom without their knowledge. People like Maxwell Hall are empowered when they are not confronted. When there continues to be rhetoric about “bright futures” and “locker room talk,” the survivors are harmed, perpetrators remain untouched, and potential perpetrators are emboldened.
There needs to be an overhaul of how we address rape culture on an institutional and cultural level, so another case like this will not happen again.
Survivors like me are not your spectacle, but people who need solidarity during an incredibly grueling time.
I thank the Title IX office, Office of Intimate Violence Prevention and Response, and the Williams Rape and Sexual Assault Network for providing their love and support as I heal. I urge all of you to work closely with them to hold each other accountable and grow together.
Angie Mejia Sierra ’28 is an anthropology major from Fort Lauderdale, Fla.