VIDEO: BYU Students, Supporters Protest Honor Code Use In Sexual Assault Cases

PROVO, Utah, April 21, 2016 (Gephardt Daily) — Madi Barney stayed home, for her own safety, an organizer announced.

But a hundred or so Brigham Young University students and community supporters rallied just off campus to protest the fact that Barney’s rape report, which an officer shared with BYU Honor Code officials, has resulted in her being barred from enrolling in future classes, at least for the time being.

“I was raped, and I waited four days to report because I was so terrified about my standing at BYU,” Barney wrote on a website that also contains a petition asking BYU to consider its stance. By 5 p.m. Thursday, the online petition had nearly 104,000 signatures asking BYU to reconsider applying its honor code rules to victims of sexual assault. That’s 11,000 more signatures than the petition had 24 hours earlier.

“Brigham Young University has a strict Honor Code that prohibits actions such as premarital sex, alcohol or drug use, and even being in the bedroom of someone of the opposite sex. I am a survivor of rape, and now BYU has put my academic future on hold due to their allegations that I broke the Honor Code in the circumstances of my assault.”

The honor code is closely tied to the values of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which owns BYU.

At the rally, people spoke in support of an Honor Code waiver for sexual assault victim. The event ended with a group walk up the hill, minus protest signs, where the group was met by Brent Webb, BYU Academic Vice President.

An event organizer handed over a box with printouts of more than 60,000 petition signatures, which Webb promised to deliver to BYU President Kevin Worthen.

To see a video shot at the protest, click on the player above.