UpDate - Vol. 11, No. 8, Page 8
October 24, 1991
Week to increase awareness of sexual assault issues

     A talk by Katie Koestner, the survivor of an acquaintance rape
at the College of William and Mary, will be one of the highlights
of the University of Delaware's annual Sexual Assault Awareness
Week Oct. 28-Nov. 1.
     Koestner was featured on the cover of Time Magazine when it
reported on the issue of date rape. Her story is currently being
made into a movie for HBO. Now a student at Cornell, Koestner is a
much sought-after speaker on acquaintance rape and has appeared on
many popular talk shows.
     She will speak at 7 p.m., Friday, Nov. 1, in the Rodney Room
of the Perkins Student Center on Academy Street in Newark. The
title of her speech is "No, Yes."
     Sexual Assault Awareness Week, organized by the Solutions to
Sexual Violence Task Force at the University, includes films, guest
speakers and informational tables aimed at increasing awareness of
issues related to sexual assault. The events are free and open to
the public, and most take place in the Ewing, Rodney and the
Collins rooms of the Perkins Student Center.
     The complete schedule for Sexual Assault Awareness Week
follows.

Monday, Oct. 28
     "Survival Skills for Women of Color," 1:30-3:30 p.m. in the
Rodney Room. Shelia Thompson-Thomas of Alternatives for Women in
Sharon, Pa., will discuss the multiple barriers women of color face
in overcoming victimization. She will offer specific strategies
that women can use to move from being victims to being survivors.
The session is open to women only.
     Offered from 3-5 p.m. in the Collins Room will be a session on
"What Men Can Do." Paul Ferguson, assistant director of the the
Student Health Service, and William Perlstein, research assistant
in psychology, both members of SOS (Support Groups for Survivors of
Sexual Offense), will discuss skills they have developed as men
working on "a woman's issue" and offer information on
misconceptions many men hold about sexual abuse.
     Presented from 7-8:30 p.m. in Mitchell Hall, will be "What's
Going On?," a play presented by Metamorphosis Performing Company of
Lewisburg, Pa., that focuses on miscommunication, attitudes,
expectations and assertiveness in relationships.

Tuesday, Oct. 29
     Scheduled in the Ewing Room from noon-1:30 p.m. is "Sexual
Harassment of Graduate Students: A Problem Shielded By Silence."
Presented by Liane Sorenson, director, and Donna Tuites, program
coordinator, both in the Office of Women's Affairs at the
University, the program will focus on identifying harassing
behaviors and the effects of those behaviors on victims/survivors.
The presenters also will address individual and institutional
solutions to sexual harassment.
     "Sex Drugs and Alcohol: Never a Perfect Match" will be
presented from 1:45-3:15 p.m. in the Rodney Room. Joyce Walter,
coordinator of Wellspring for the University's Student Health
Service, and Richard Holland, assistant area coordinator in the
Office of Residence Life, will discuss connections between sexual
assault and substance use and abuse.
     Scheduled from 3:30-5 p.m. in the Ewing Room is "Slasher Films
and Copycat Violence." The talk, presented by Juliet L. Dee,
assistant professor of communication at the University, examines
how slasher films may instigate violence against woman and the
effects of such films on male college students. It will include
research and actual case histories to illustrate the frightening
reality of such films.

Wednesday, Oct. 30
     Scheduled from 12:20-1:10 p.m. in the Ewing Room is a talk,
entitled "Is It Sex or Is It Rape?," by Jessica Shiffman, program
coordinator for the Women's Studies Interdisciplinary Program at
the University. Presented as part of the Research on Women lecture
series, the talk seeks to develop a framework to re-define rape and
sex.
     "Beyond Sexual Assault: Issues In Healing" will be presented
from 1:15-3 p.m. in the Rodney Room. A panel will discuss the
aftereffects of sexual assault and the components of healing.
Panelists include Cherie Weiss, Kim Ewing and Leslie Orysh,
counseling psychologists in the Center for Counseling and Student
Development at the University, and Karen Doneker, resident hall
director in the University's Office of Residence Life.
     Planned from 3:30-5 p.m. in the Ewing Room is "Myths, Morals
and Rape: What Does the Judeo-Christian Tradition Have To Say?"
Barbara H. Andolsen, associate professor at Monmouth College in
West Long Branch, N.J., will discuss how ethics, including
religious ethics, both hinder and help in preventing sexual
assault, especially date rape.
     Caroline Sparks, president of the Feminist Institute,
Washington, D.C., will speak on "Sexual Violence Against Women in
America: A Social Change Perspective" from 7-8:30 p.m. in the
Rodney Room. She will focus on the need for system-wide change in
public policy, law and community norms to prevent violence against
women and will examine sexual violence in particular.

Thursday, Oct. 31
     Offered from noon-1 p.m. in the Ewing Room is "Child Sexual
Abuse: What You Should Know and What You Can Do." Joann Kassees,
program director of Delawareans United To Prevent Child Abuse, will
discuss how and why child sexual abuse happens, what can be done to
prevent it and how victims/survivors can find help.
     Scheduled from 1:30-3 p.m. in the Ewing Room is "A Matter of
Respect: Stopping Sexual Harassment." The program, presented by
Sorenson and Tuites, will discuss what sexual harassment is and how
women and men can work together to eliminate this barrier to true
equality.
     Thursday's events conclude with "Rape and the Law: A Panel
Discussion" from 3:30-5 p.m. in the Rodney Room. The panel will be
moderated by Kathleen Turkel, assistant professor of women's
studies at the University. Panelists will include: Charles M.
Oberly III, attorney general for the state of Delaware; William
Hogan, chief of the Newark Police Department; Timothy Brooks, dean
of students at the University; Sean O'Brien, assistant professor of
philosophy at the University; and Cassandra Greenwood, campus
security trainer from Poolesville, Md.

Friday, Nov. 1
     Concluding the week on Friday from 12:10-12:55 p.m. in the
Rodney Room is "Rape Prevention and Personal Safety," presented by
Kathy Atwell, associate director of the department of public safety
at the University of Maryland, College Park. Atwell will call upon
her experience in university law enforcement to provide a realistic
look at campus safety.
     Also scheduled each day during Sexual Assault Awareness Week
is an informational/resource table, which will be set up on the
concourse at the Perkins Student Center from noon to 4 p.m.
     Additionally, a video and discussion session is scheduled from
10-11:30 a.m., Monday through Thursday. The videos include: "Campus
Rape" on Monday, Oct. 28, in the Ewing Room; "Not A Love Story," on
Tuesday, Oct. 29, in the Ewing Room; "Still Killing Us Softly," on
Wednesday, Oct. 30, in the Collins Room; and "Breaking the Silence"
on Thursday, Oct. 31, in the Collins Room.
     Sexual Assault Awareness Week is sponsored by the Solutions to
Sexual Violence Task Force. Task force members represent a variety
of University offices and student groups as well as the Newark
Police Department and Rape Crisis Contact.
     The week is funded by the Commission to Promote Racial and
Cultural Diversity, the Commission on the Status of Women and the
offices of the Dean of Students, Housing and Residence Life, the
President, Women's Affairs, the Vice President for Employee
Relations and the Vice President for Student Affairs, the Perkins
Student Center and the Student Health Service.
     For more information, call the University's Office of Women's
Affairs at 451-8063 or Housing and Residence Life at 451-2602.