May 5th, 2020
For inquiries, please contact: Menat Bahnasy, president@harvarddems.org
Content Warning: Sexual Assault
The Harvard College Democrats stand firmly in solidarity with survivors of sexual violence, including sexual assault and sexual harassment. We call upon Joe Biden, former Vice President and presumptive Democratic nominee for President of the United States of America, to continue cooperating and engaging fully with investigations into the allegations of sexual assault made by his former Senate aid Tara Reade. We call on leaders across the country to ensure that Ms. Reade is guaranteed an uninhibited opportunity to share her story. Not only must Vice President Biden and Democratic leaders continue to address these allegations seriously, but the Democratic Party must also continue to show its dedication to supporting survivors of sexual assault.
Last spring around this time, Vice President Biden addressed concerns that his actions have made others uncomfortable in the past. He pledged to do better in the future. As a self-proclaimed ally for survivors, including his work through his It’s On Us campaign and sponsorship of the Violence Against Women Act, he must continue to hold himself to the same standard to which he holds others.
The Harvard College Democrats are committed to supporting and advocating for survivors. We work closely with Our Harvard Can Do Better, an organization on our campus dedicated to dismantling sexual assault and rape culture at Harvard and across the globe. We have organized numerous phone-banking and letter-writing campaigns to fight for the rights of survivors. We understand that cases of sexual assault are not simple, and that most of the time, it is nearly impossible to undeniably prove the occurrence of sexual assault. Holding allegations to this standard of proof is unfair to survivors, and leaders must recognize this throughout discussions of sexual assault. As an organization, we fight for those who are marginalized, and survivors of sexual assault are no exception.
We recognize the stake and risk that is ahead of us in November, and we will be working to elect a Democrat as President. With that said, our political aspirations do not and should not impede our moral obligation to hold our leaders morally accountable. As aforementioned, Vice President Biden has advocated for survivors of sexual assault throughout his career. In the same vein, we call on him to continue to hold himself to the same standard of thorough and independent investigation, and to continue to engage with the American public about these allegations and further discussions surrounding sexual assault.
As Democrats, we pride ourselves on advocating for equity and justice—this includes advocating for survivors of sexual assault and holding ourselves accountable.
We have also signed onto the College Democrats of Massachusetts’ statement regarding this matter, which has brought together College Democrats chapters from across the state to call for Joe Biden to be held accountable.
In solidarity,
Harvard College Democrats
You can also view this statement here.