KU responds to Al Jazeera story showing students partying
Posted: Oct 31, 2013 7:55 PM CDTUpdated: Feb 21, 2014 5:03 PM CST
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LAWRENCE, KS (KCTV) -
A group of University of Kansas students are hiding in shame after an Al Jazeera story featured them on a night of binge drinking.
The story's headline asked "What role does college partying play in sexual assault?"
But students featured in the video like Arthur (he would not release his last name) say the reporter told them the story would be about the college partying and hook up culture.
"We were absolutely under false impressions on what the video was going to be about," Arthur told KCTV5's Bonyen Lee.
After hours of drinking, Arthur and another friend, Casey, spoke candidly on camera about drunken sex.
"I think it depends on the girl. So she goes home with some guy, she wakes up in the morning, 'I made a big mistake' but yet it's on her, you know?" KU senior Casey said in the Al Jazeera video.
"Girls wake up, start making wild accusations, that happens all the time," Arthur told the Al Jazeera reporter.
Arthur said he made a big mistake when he agreed to do the story with Al Jazeera.
He said the reporter took their comments out of context and grossly misrepresented the group.
"By no means do I think sexual assault is a funny topic. I've had friends that have been victims of things like that. I think it's absolutely disgusting. If I could take back the comments that were said or at least change them in a way I would've expressed them in a sober manner, I absolutely would," Arthur told KCTV5 Thursday.
Casey backed out of a phone interview he initially agreed to do with KCTV5.
Both said their group of friends is mortified and embarrassed with the way they were portrayed.
KU's Vice Provost for Student Affairs Tammara Durham publicly condemned the students' behavior saying, "Unfortunately, this small group went on camera to demonstrate their dangerous drinking and attitudes toward sexual consent. They represent a small minority of the KU population."
KU requires every student under the age of 21 to take alcohol awareness training. All students receive training on reporting sexual harassment and sexual violence.
Copyright 2013 KCTV (Meredith Corp.) All rights reserved.
