UpDate - Vol. 14, No. 4, Page 5
September 22, 1994
Sexual Assault Awareness Week set Sept. 26-29
Sexual Assault Awareness Week will be held from Monday through
Thursday, Sept. 26-29.
Sponsored by the University to heighten awareness of issues
surrounding sexual assault, all events are free. Activities include
workshops, dramatic presentations, films and discussions, as well as
distribution of educational materials.
One of the highlights will be a lecture on "Sex: How to Get What
You Want But Not More Than You Bargained For," scheduled from 7-9
p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 28, in the auditorium of Pearson Hall. The
interactive lecture/presentation will be conducted by Andrea Parrot,
associate professor of human service studies at Cornell University.
Parrot is an author, consultant and expert on sex and communication.
She has been a guest on Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, Larry
King Live and Face the Nation.
All the other events, except the performance of Power Plays, are
scheduled in the Perkins Student Center. They include:
MONDAY, SEPT. 26
* A resource table will be staffed from noon to 4 p.m. on the
concourse of the Perkins Student Center to provide information about
Sexual Assault Awareness Week programs. Materials on a variety of
topics (acquaintance/date rape, sexual harassment, etc.).
Information on related campus and community services also will be
available.
* "What We Should Know and What We Can Do About Abusive Relationships"
will be discussed by Mary Davis, counselor, Battered Women's
Shelter, Child Inc., and Carol Post, program coordinator, Victim
Advocacy Program, Project for Domestic Violence Reform. Focusing on
violence in intimate relationships, the speakers will offer
suggestions on how to recognize signs of abuse and where to go for
help. The program will be held from noon to 1 p.m. in the Ewing
Room.
* "Violence Against Women: The Law's Response," a panel discussion,
will offer a variety of perspectives and experiences on violence
against women and the law. Among the topics to be discussed: What
kinds of legal reforms have been implemented at the federal, state
and local levels to address this issue and what more needs to be
done. Moderating will be Kathy Turkel, assistant professor of
women's studies at the University. Panelists will include Robert
O'Neill, deputy attorney general, Delaware Department of Justice;
Raina Fishbane, executive assistant, Delaware Domestic Violence
Coordinating Council; Douglas Tuttle, UD director of public safety;
and representatives from U.S. Sen. Joseph Biden's office and the
Senate Judiciary Committee. The discussion will be held rom 1:30-3
p.m. in the Rodney Room.
* The film, Hostages at Home, highlights the struggles of three women
as they work to overcome external and internal barriers to leave
abusive relationships. The screening and discussion will be
facilitated by members of Sexual Offense Support Group (SOS) at the
University and will be held from 3:30-5 p.m. in the Collins Room.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 27
* "Personal Safety: Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention" will be
discussed by Trooper Pam Marshack of the Delaware State Police Crime
Prevention Office. She will offer common sense tips for both men and
women on how to help avoid becoming a crime victim. The talk will be
held from noon to 1 p.m. in the Rodney Room.
* "Real Men and Real Love," a positive approach to rape awareness and
sexual assault prevention, will demonstrate how to identify,
recognize, acquire and give unconditional love. Of special interest
to men, the program will be presented by Liz John, U.S. Naval
Academy, who is in charge of training on sexual abuse and harassment
issues for all incoming classes there. The program will be held from
1:30-3 p.m. in the Ewing Room.
* "Sister/Sister," a program that explores similarities and
differences in perspectives of rape within multi racial communities,
will be held from 3:30-5 p.m. in the Ewing Room. Barriers and
bridges to building multicultural rape education will be explored
through small group discussion and interaction. The program will be
presented by Elena M. DiLapi, director, and Gloria Gay, associate
director, Penn Women's Center, University of Pennsylvania.
* "Guilty or Not Guilty of Sexual Assault: You Decide" is a look
behind the "closed doors" of the administrative judicial process on
campus to witness a mock sexual assault case. Participants will
explore due process rights of the accused and alleged victim in the
administrative judicial system; define coercion and consent and
their importance in cases of sexual assault; evaluate their own
feelings about sexual assault; and decide guilty or not gulity. The
program will be facilitated by Nancy Geist Giacomini, assistant dean
of students for judicial affairs, and students from the Dean of
Students' office staff and student board members. From 7-9 p.m. in
the Rodney Room.
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 28
* "Beyond Sexual Assault: Issues in Healing" will be the focus of a
program with Leslie Orysh, counseling psychologist in the
University's Center for Counseling and Student Development, and
representatives from SOS. The speakers will discuss the range of
after-effects experienced by many survivors of sexual assault,
including the potential short- and long-term effects, which areas of
life are most affected, how survivors decide to get help and the
components of healing. Available healing resources will be
discussed, including individual and group counseling. The program
will be offered from 1:30-3 p.m. in the Collins Room.
* "A Matter of Respect: Stopping Sexual Harassment." will feature
Liane Sorenson, director, and Donna Tuites, coordinator, both of
women's affairs. The speakers will discuss sexual harassment of
students in the classroom and campus community. They will define
what sexual harassment is and how women and men can work together to
eliminate it. The program will be held from 3:30-5 p.m. in the Ewing
Room.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 29
* Campus Rape, a documentary-style video hosted by L.A. Law stars
Susan Dey and Corbin Bersen, examines campus rape and its impact
through interviews with four college students, their friends and
family. The video and discussion, to be facilitated by members of
SOS, will be held from 12:10-1:30 p.m. in the Ewing Room.
* "Nonviolent Personal Safety and Awareness," an active and
participatory workshop, will explore personal safety strategies to
help avoid sexual assault. The program will cover both acquaintance
and stranger situations and will help participants learn new skills
and become aware of the skills they may already possess. The program
will be presented by Tammie Hursh, education specialist, Women
Organized Against Rape (WOAR), Philadelphia, and will be held from
3:30-5 p.m. in the Ewing Room.
* Power Plays, an interactive theatre presentation, will look at the
issues and dynamics of acquaintance rape on campus. Theatrical
scenes depict events leading to a rape, the point of confrontation
and the aftermath. At various stages, the audience is invited to
interview the characters in order to uncover their motives, opinions
and beliefs. Such issues as victim blaming, why men rape, risk
reduction for women, what rapists look for in potential victims, how
men can help stop rape and the connection between alcohol and
acquaintance rape are explored. The play will be presented by the
Women's Center of Bloomsburg University from 8-10 p.m. in the
auditorium of Pearson Hall.
For more information on the events planned for the week, contact
the Office of Women's Affairs at 831-8063.
-Beth Thomas