Editor’s note: This article contains mentions of sexual assault. 

The end of August brought forward disappointing and disturbing accusations against an NC State men’s athletic trainer, Robert M. Murphy Jr. In a federal lawsuit, a former NC State soccer player, Benjamin Locke, claims the trainer abused him under the guise of treatment and the University did not do their part to prevent the harassment and abuse.

Former soccer coach Kelly Findley already voiced his concerns about Murphy Jr. in February 2016, yet the trainer remained employed with NC State until earlier this year. This was during Locke’s time playing for NC State, most of which he spent with leg injuries that prevented him from participating in matches. Murphy’s abuse may have even delayed Locke’s recovery from his injury.

This case is a particularly blatant example of a deeper problem across college campuses. The progress since the #MeToo movement to empower female sexual assault survivors is great and incredibly necessary, but women are not the only ones who experience the consequences of rape culture. 

Generally, women are more likely to experience an act of sexual violence, but 6.8% of males experience some kind of non-consensual sexual act during their time in college. According to RAINN, male college students are 78% more likely than non-students to experience sexual assault. Meanwhile, female college students are 20% less likely to experience sexual assault than non-students. 

NC State’s Survivor Services are located in the Women’s Center on campus. The webpage makes an effort to use gender-neutral language and make it clear that they are there to support all victims, but this does not change the name of the office to be inclusive to everyone.

Personally, I love the Women’s Center; I am there almost every week because they provide such a great environment to study and connect with others. Their advocates can help connect survivors to resources, report an incident to Title IX or the police, and make academic and housing accommodations if necessary. Still, I can imagine that the Women’s Center would not be the first place I would want to go as a male sexual assault survivor.

All victims of sexual violence face a stigma when coming forward. Sometimes, this can make speaking out about their experience take years, as in the case of Locke. Several reports from the National Library of Medicine show men and boys have a particularly difficult time voicing their experiences of sexual violence. It is difficult to reconcile one’s masculinity after experiencing an assault. 

UNC Asheville has an entire website dedicated to supporting and informing male survivors of sexual violence and harassment. They make it clear that Title IX is designed to help them too. It is impossible to know the exact impact of something from a few paragraphs on a website, but the website is a step in the right direction. It is important for male survivors of sexual abuse to know that they are not alone. 

Universities like NC State must work to take accusations, like the one made by coach Findley, very seriously, no matter the gender of the survivor. We also need enough healthcare professionals trained to aid sexual violence victims. As of 2019, there were fewer than 100 registered Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners in all of North Carolina. Designated advocates and peer supporters may be necessary to address the special needs of male victims. 

Benjamin Locke deserves restitution from NC State for what happened to him. NC State must also work on an institutional level to assuage its silence towards the problems faced by male survivors of abuse. The University has to do its part to support all survivors.  

Debra Mullis is an active member of NC State Student Media and serves as the Assistant Director of Government Affairs within NC State’s Student Government.