Bryan Golden is the police chief at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC) in Tifton, Georgia, and he has some unusual–and despicable–ideas on who is to blame when a sexual assault is committed against a woman: It’s gotta be her fault.
In an interview Golden gave to the ABAC student newspaper The Stallion, Chief Golden asserted that “most” sexual assaults aren’t really sexual assaults at all. No, Golden believes that women just feel “guilty” about their “consensual” actions and then decide to destroy the lives of innocent men in order to alleviate that feeling. He also said:
“I might sound insensitive, but I’m not. Most of these sexual assaults are women waking up the next morning with a guilt complex. That ain’t rape, that’s being stupid. When the dust settles, it was all consensual. It doesn’t happen here. It doesn’t show up here. They’re about as much a rape as a goat roping.”
How could that possibly sound the least bit insensitive? It’s not like he’s blaming the victim. Oh wait, yes he is! He most certainly is!
Shortly after the remarks became public, Golden was suspended from his position, and ABAC President Dr. David Bridges said that the comments were “unfortunate” and “insensitive.”
Shelby Evans, editor of the student newspaper, said she was stunned by Golden’s comments in light of what is known about sexual assault, especially on college campuses:
“What we all sort of thought about was how it completely contradicted the evidence, which is when women who have been sexually assaulted report on campus they are supported.”
While Chief Golden has been suspended without pay and must undergo sexual assault sensitivity training, it appears he will be allowed to keep his job.
As the parent of a young girl, I can assure you of one thing: If my daughter attended ABAC and Golden was allowed to remain as police chief at the campus, I would not rest until every alumnus of that school and its financial supporters were made aware of the harm this was doing to the reputation of the college.
This man should be fired. End of story. I make absolutely no apologies for feeling that way, and I do not wish to hear any apology of his, either.
