'If you could rape someone, who would it be?' College fraternity suspended for offensive survey

University of Vermont investigating source of survey

Fraternity Sigma Phi Epsilon has been in trouble before

It 'asked students in 1993 what they'd do with stripper'



A university fraternity has been suspended after allegedly giving a quiz to its members that asked: ‘If I could rape someone, who would it be?’

The University of Vermont is investigating the source of the survey, who saw it and how it was used by Burlington brotherhood Sigma Phi Epsilon.



Almost 20 years ago the same fraternity was criticised over sexual questions, after it asked students what they would do with a stripper.

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Question: The University of Vermont is investigating the source of the survey, who saw it and how it was used by fraternity Sigma Phi Epsilon in Burlington

The survey begins with basic questions about the student’s name, subject studied and their favourite memories, reported CBS affiliate WCAX.

It then asks 'Where in public would I want to have sex?', 'Who's my favourite artist?’ and ‘If I could rape someone, who would it be?’

‘The fraternity has instructed the chapter to cease all operations, pending further investigation,’ a spokesman at the fraternity’s headquarters said.

‘Any behaviour that demeans women is not tolerated by the fraternity,’ the national Sigma Phi Epsilon spokesman - in Richmond, Virginia - added.

Past: Almost 20 years ago the same fraternity (house pictured) was criticised over sexual questions, after it asked students what they would do with a stripper

Campus police are now trying to establish if criminal charges could be pressed over the incident, reported the Burlington Free Press.

'Any behaviour that demeans women is not tolerated by the fraternity' Sigma Phi Epsilon national spokesman

‘We don’t know what we’ve got right now,’ a university spokesman said. ‘We don’t know which individual or individuals are involved.’

The fraternity’s national office sent a representative to Burlington on Tuesday as they aim to find out more about the incident.

In July 1993 the national office revoked the University of Vermont chapter’s charter for at least three years, reported the Burlington Free Press.

Upset: Student Meredith Knowles said she was 'greatly offended' by the question as someone she knew was raped, 'so it hits close to home'

This was after a video emerged of potential new members being asked to tell a story, a racist joke and describe their sexual encounters.

'I am greatly offended. Someone very close to me was actually raped, so it hits close to home' Meredith Knowles

The university found out about the latest incident over the weekend after a tip-off from a student. The fraternity has around 45 members.

English Professor Nancy Welch made a link between the incident and cuts to the ‘Women's and Gender Studies' budget.

Women’s right group FedUp has called for the fraternity to be shut and the university to launch a campaign against ‘sexism and rape culture’.

‘I am greatly offended,’ student Meredith Knowles told WCAX. ‘Someone very close to me was actually raped, so it hits close to home.’

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