Editor’s note: Sexual assault

A note from the Editor-in-Chief on this week’s issue.


By the time you read this editor’s note, you’ve probably already gasped at the cover or questioned the story that is adjacent to this on page three.

This month, we’re reporting on a story that took the Wilfrid Laurier University community by storm at the beginning of June — The Record reported on the court proceedings of a sexual assault case from January 2013 and their story was shared widely.

While this instance became the focus of media and the community, it is not isolated. Many people are fearful and this is just one part of a bigger story and bigger problem on university campuses. It is systemic; an ongoing issue and our cover this month speaks to the consistent fear students may feel.

Our piece objectively and fairly looks at the university’s undertakings of this particular case, as well as how members of the community feel about sexual assault and its current place on university campuses nationwide. We interviewed countless individuals to get a full grasp of the situation, as well as situations that go unreported on a daily basis.

I said last month our job as Laurier’s official student newspaper is to give you, our dear readers, the truth. We’ll give you the truth no matter how harsh, crazy, insane or hurtful it may seem.

We would not be doing our jobs if we sat back and did nothing and did not bring light to this issue.

The Cord’s editorial board and senior staff worked tirelessly to make sure we could put together a story that encompassed what the Laurier community needed to know, and to create discussion.

But we also know that by doing our jobs, there is probably going to be feedback, both good and bad. And we welcome it. If you would like to express your concerns, please feel free to email Bryan Stephens, WLUSP president and publisher at president@wlusp.com, myself at editor@thecord.ca or submit a letter to the editor at letters@thecord.ca.

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