State Representative Gregory Haddad (D-Mansfield, Chaplin), released a statement Thursday in response to the student-produced “Rape is Funny” video that aired on the University of Connecticut’s student-run television station, UCTV.

“Clearly the video is offensive, and further unacceptable for an entity funded by student fees,” Haddad said.

“While UCTV, and similarly the Daily Campus, are important outlets that help teach students about important concepts such as freedom of speech, they also have a responsibility to the community they serve. Simply testing boundaries about what can be said or depicted should not be part of the mission," he said.

The video, which aired in November and January as part of the UCTV series "Shenanigans," has since been removed from circulation.

In the sketch, a woman is running across campus in the dark of night from what she believes is a rapist. She locates a Code Blue Phone Kiosk - used to directly connect individuals to 911 in times of emergency – only to be mocked and demoralized by the kiosks' automated voices which tell her women are "always crying about being raped" and to "suck it up." The woman is ultimately strangled by her attacker.

A statement on the station's Web site states that the organization is reviewing its Broadcast Policies and Procedures in order to "prevent a similar situation from occurring again."

In response, Haddad said the legislature’s Higher Education Committee, of which he is a member, is considering a bill aimed at improving school policies on dealing with sexual violence.

“Sexual violence on college campuses is a very serious issue, and I would encourage our colleges and universities to continually review their security and response procedures to be sure everything is being done to prevent such crime as has been the practice at UConn,” Haddad said.

“At the same time, we must recognize that each of us has a responsibility to foster a deeply embedded cultural sensitivity and an environment where every individual is respected and feels safe and secure on campus and in our community,” he said.

In addition, the UConn community is working to organize protests and rallies in response to the video. The university’s Women’s Center invites students to make posters Friday, Feb. 3 from 3-5 p.m. and will host a rally/protest of “rape culture” on Monday, Feb. 6 at 4:30 p.m., according to the group's Facebook page.