In October 2010, pledges of Yale's Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity walking around first-year dorms chanting "No means yes. Yes means anal!" Other chants included "Fucking sluts" and "My name is Jack, I'm a necrophiliac, I fuck dead women, and fill them with my semen." This wasn't the first time Yale has had this kind of misogynistic incident; in fact, it wasn't even the first time the "no means yes" chant was used.

Finally, on May 17, 2011, Yale took overdue disciplinary action against the DKE chapter, suspending it for a period of five years. This decision came after almost 5000 Change.org members and Yale students and alumni petitioned for real administrative action against those responsible for the disturbing pro-rape chants. Yale has further requested that DKE International suspend their Yale chapter for the same time period.

Yale did the right thing. Yet DKE International Executive Director Doug Laphner is speaking out against what he insists is "excessive" action against the chapter.

DKE International insists that this isn't a "legally actionable case of sexual harassment," dismissing shouting threatening pro-rape and misogynistic chants outside of the dorms where first-year women are housed as simply "in poor taste." Laphner claims that the matter had already been handled "internally" to their satisfaction and intends to appeal the decision. But while DKE International acted swiftly to suspend pledge activities at Yale after the horrifying display of rape apologism, within just a few weeks they'd already lifted the sanction and begun protecting the chapter.

A few weeks? If that's "satisfactory," I guess it shows how little DKE is concerned by promotion of sexual violence.

Tell DKE International not to undermine Yale's strong statement against sexual violence by appealing and defending a chapter engaged in clear wrongdoing. DKE International should join Yale in suspending this chapter and make a statement expressing zero tolerance for promoting rape culture. Furthermore, DKE International should create policy changes requiring members to undergo sexual assault prevention and sensitivity training, so this kind of incident cannot happen again.