Fargo, N.D. – On Sunday, Nov. 1, about three dozen students, alumni and local supporters assembled at Churchill Field on the North Dakota State University (NDSU) campus to protest sexual assault and demand stronger safety measures. The demonstration was organized by the Women’s Activist Organization (WAO) at NDSU.
Local participants share personal concerns
Bridget Williams, who drove from Grand Forks with a friend, said she joined because sexual‑assault statistics have not improved in the past three decades and may even be worsening. “I grew up in an era where we were taught to basically thread our keys through our knuckles when we walked to our car,” she explained. “We should not be teaching our daughters to be better survivors. Instead, we should teach our sons not to be predators.”
WAO leadership frames the protest
WAO President Ella Chappuis noted that the protest was partly inspired by a civil lawsuit filed in September concerning a alleged gang‑rape at Cornell University in New York. A former Cornell student, identified only as Jane Doe, alleges seven fraternity members drugged her with ketamine and gang‑raped her in the fall of 2024. After the lawsuit, prosecutors opened a criminal case that had previously been declined.
As a resident advisor, Chappuis said she regularly supports victims of sexual assault on campus. “We talk about this kind of stuff often in our meetings, just kind of the known culture at NDSU,” she said. “We think there’s enough people that are upset about it and looking for change and a positive outcome. We wanted to bring people together to share opinions, share stories, and create a community where people feel supported.”
Students call for administrative action
NDSU student Gabriel Kluck told The Forum that he hopes the protest will prompt university administrators and student‑government leaders to take the issue seriously and allocate more resources to campus safety. “We can put on huge football games, parades, and all this different stuff, but this is where they’re sliding,” he said.
Community response
Although the crowd was smaller than Chappuis had hoped, participants received visible support from drivers passing along University Drive. “We had a lot of people honking and waving at us and giving us a thumbs up,” she said. “I’m happy with the environment that we had going and I’m just glad that it happened.”
Protest signs read messages such as “Our voices matter,” “We deserve a rape‑free campus,” and “‘No’ does not mean ‘convince me.’” The event underscores ongoing concerns among students and community members about sexual‑assault culture on college campuses and the need for proactive prevention and victim‑support policies.
Original reporting: InForum (Fargo section) — read the source article.
