Katie Pavlich, conservative journalist for the online news magazine Townhall.com, will offer a conservative view on sexual assault prevention on college campuses directly after a lecture by ISU lecturer Michael Goebel on assault and masculinity.

Pavlich, who is also a commentator for Fox News, is speaking at 8 p.m. March 4 at the Great Hall of the Memorial Union about rape on campus. 

Pavlich’s book, “Assault and Flattery: The Truth about the Left and Their War on Women,” discusses how liberal Americans have turned the ongoing debate surrounding women’s rights into a way to advance their political agenda.

Pavlich’s topic already has students talking. 

Zach Rodgers, sophomore in political science, recently got involved in a Twitter debate with Pavlich regarding concealed carry laws on college campuses.

After responding to a tweet by Pavlich, who stated that liberals are “people who want women on campus to remain defenseless from rape because guns are scary and stuff,” Rodgers responded with his point-of-view.

“I don’t think we need to bring guns into the situation,” Rodgers said.  “If we allow that, perpetrators will also be armed as well.”

Rodgers disagreed with the proposal to allow concealed carry on campus and would rather see more education before resorting to extremes, he said.

Though concealed carry is a large part of the debate, Pavlich’s lecture is projected to speak about the overall conservative view on sexual assault on college campuses.

According to Robert Dunn, senior in pre-business, Pavlich will be explaining the conservative view on sexual assault, which largely deals with individual defense.

“The conservatives want to empower individuals to take control of their own lives,” Dunn said. “And that means take control of their own safety.”

Contrary to Rodgers, Dunn argued that Pavlich’s view on concealed carry laws will bring campuses one step closer to eliminating assault.

“We already tell men not to rape,” Dunn said.  “We need to go one step further.”

Dunn said he believes allowing women to carry guns will help prevent the situation before it happens.

Dunn also discussed feminism while supporting Pavlich’s view, arguing that concealed carry will allow women to take their safety into their own hands instead of relying on bystanders to “come to their rescue.”

Rodgers, who is also a member of the College Democrats, said there will be a presentation preceding Pavlich’s lecture at 6 p.m. at Howe Hall.

Michael Goebel, a lecturer in the English department and Women’s and Gender Studies program, will be speaking on sexual assault and masculinity. Rodgers plans to attend both lectures in order to hear both sides of the debate.

According to the ISU College Democrats’ Facebook page, Goebel’s lecture will be explaining “the cultural narrative of white male decline following the economic collapse of 2008” and how it relates to sexual assault.

Both lectures will take place March 4 and are open to students.