Alleged victim in Jameis Winston case comes forward

The release of a new documentary has revealed the alleged victim in the sexual assault case involving Florida State University quarterback Jameis Winston.

The alleged victim, Erica Kinsman, spoke publicly for the first time in the “The Hunting Ground,” which was showcased at the Sundance Film Festival last Friday.

The film discusses ongoing issues with domestic violence and sexual assault on college campuses. Kinsman is joined by a number of other women who have been victims of sexual assault on college campuses worldwide.  

The film raises the question: what are college campus administrators doing to prevent sexual assaults on college campuses around the world?

Sexual assault is an ongoing problem on many college campuses, according to Jillian Browning, a studio art graduate student at FSU from Ocala, Fla.

“The only place that I know women are able to report rape and other sexual assault cases on our campus is the Victim’s Advocate desk,” Browning said. “To my knowledge, the center is located in a hallway out in the open where many victims don’t really have the proper privacy that they need in order to report cases.”

Browning added that when one of her colleagues tried to report an incident to the Victim Advocate office, they gave her the runaround and never followed up with her.

However, some students didn’t find the film as a means of redeeming character for the alleged victim. Instead, they saw this film as a potential come-up for Kinsmen.

Nathaniel Causley,  a Florida A&M University MBA Graduate candidate from Camden, N.J., said many interprited the film as "a cry for attention."

“She's probably gone through a lot of stress and has had to endure a lot of hatred," Causley said.  

Causley added that he believes Kinsman is seeking some type of financial compensation.

Even though the sexual assault case involving Winston continues to be a topic of discussion, FSU attempting to establish a new initiative aimed at preventing sexual violence on campus.

One of these programs is the kNOw MORE awareness campaign. It’s goals include educate the university community about responsible conduct and the meaning of consent as well as prevention and intervention and resources for sexual assault victims.

“Even one case of sexual violence is too many,” said Mary Coburn, vice president for Student Affairs. "Colleges across the nation are looking at ways to better address this issue, and we want to do all that we can to help ensure that every member of our community has a safe, healthy and positive experience at FSU."