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| Vol. 17, No. 3 | Sept. 18, 1997 |
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| Vol. 17, No. 3 | Sept. 18, 1997 |
Katie Koestner was a student at the College of William and Mary when she was sexually assaulted by a fellow student. She went public with her story, bringing the debate over "date rape" to media attention. Since then, she has been the subject of an HBO special; a guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Larry King Live and Geraldo; and on the cover of Time magazine.
On Monday, Oct. 6, Koestner will be on the Newark campus to keynote Sexual Assault Awareness Week, Oct. 3-9.
The week's activities are designed to heighten the awareness of students, faculty, staff and the community to issues surrounding sexual assault, abuse and violence. Included will be workshops, lectures, dramatic presentations, a "Take Back the Night" march, discussions, self-defense demonstrations, information tables and a concert.
Most events will take place in the Trabant University Center and the Perkins Student Center, and the activities are free and open to the public, unless otherwise noted.
Exhibits and displays
A resource booth with information and awareness materials, T-shirts and posters will be available at Kiosk A in the Trabant Center food court.
"The Clothesline Project," a visual display of T-shirts designed by survivors of sexual assault, will be on view in the Gallery of the Perkins Student Center.
"The Silent Witness Project," 15 life-sized statues with plaques telling the stories of victims of domestic violence and how they were killed, will be on display throughout the week at the Trabant University and the Perkins Student centers.
Plays and performances
She Lived, he Said, an original one-act play about surviving incest, will be presented at 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday, Oct. 3-4, in the Bacchus Theatre of the Perkins Student Center. After the performance, a facilitated discussion will be held involving the audience, the cast, the writer and the director.
Internationally known songwriter Fred Small will perform with UD a cappella groups the Y-Chromes, D-Sharps and Overtones on Sunday, Oct. 5, in the auditorium of Pearson Hall. (See accompanying story.)
At 8:30 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 7, in the Hen Zone of the Perkins Student Center, the Not Quite Ready for Bed players will perform skits about abstinence, safe sex, HIV/AIDS, sexual assault and other relevant topics.
From 7-8:30 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 8, in the Bacchus Theatre of the Perkins Student Center, actors with Woman Theatre Inc. of Philadelphia will improvise scenes about dating abuse with verbal, psychological, physical and sexual violence depicted through different stages of relationships.
Sexual Assault Awareness Week draws to a close at 8:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 9, in the Hen Zone of the Perkins Student Center with a performance by Antje Duvekot, a local singer and writer of songs about women, men and relationships.
Panels and presentations
A panel discussion on date rape and the law will be presented from noon-1:30 p.m., Monday, Oct. 6, in the Rodney Room of the Perkins Student Center. The panel of experts will include State Sen. Patty Blevins, Raina Fishbain of the Domestic Violence Coordinating Council and a representative of the state attorney general's office, all discussing Delaware's date rape law.
Delaware is the last remaining state to have a lower penalty for date rape than for stranger rape. The panel will discuss this distinction, its ramifications and suggestions for change. Brown bag lunches are encouraged and beverages will be served.
Koestner will present the week's keynote address at 7 p.m., Monday, Oct. 6, in Multipurpose Rooms A-C of the Trabant University Center, followed by a "Meet Katie and Brett" pizza party. Brett Sokolaw is Koestner's co-facilitator.
Earlier that day, from 3-4:30 p.m., in Multipurpose Rooms A-C, Koestner will participate in a Division of Student Life professional development workshop, open only to UD employees. Koestner will talk to faculty and staff about what an assaulted student might be experiencing and how to identify and support a possible victim.
From noon-1:30 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 7, in Multipurpose Rooms A-B of the Trabant University Center, members of the University's public safety staff will discuss and demonstrate Rape Aggression Defense techniques and talk about how to assist victims. Beverages will be served, and brown bag lunches are encouraged.
"Men of Conscience" is the subject of a talk scheduled from 4-5:30 p.m., Oct. 7, in Multipurpose Room B of the Trabant University Center. Harry Brod, assistant professor of philosophy at UD, will discuss the practical things men can do to nurture relationships with women that are mutually respectful, caring and empowering.
From 7-8:15 p.m., Oct. 7, in the Rodney Room of the Perkins Student Center, a discussion of same-sex rape will be held. Michael Scarce, a victim of male-on-male sexual violence and the coordinator of the Rape Education and Prevention Program at Ohio State University, will discuss the effect this largely ignored crime has on its victims and on society.
From 1:30-3 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 8, "Beyond Sexual Assault: Issues in Healing, Part I" will be presented. Jane Gilbert, a psychologist with the UD Center for Counseling and Student Development; Constance Dancu, director of the Center for Cognitive and Behavior Therapy; and Nancy Nutt, coordinator of Wellspring, will talk about the short- and long-term effects of sexual assault and how they can be lessened. The program is scheduled in Multipurpose Room C of the Trabant University Center.
"Body and Soul" will be the topic of a workshop from 5-6 p.m., Oct. 8, in Multipurpose Room C of the Trabant University Center. Featured will be educators from UD's Sexual Offense Support Service, who will facilitate a discussion on how survivors feel and how best to help them.
The second part of "Beyond Sexual Assault: Issues in Healing" will be held from 1:30-3 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 9, in the Collins Room of the Perkins Student Center. Jane Gilbert, a psychologist with the UD Center for Counseling and Student Development, and Nancy Nutt, coordinator of Wellspring at UD, will lead a discussion on how to deal with the experience of assault and the social realities that make assault possible.
Other activities
From 3-6:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 9, in the Kirkwood Room of the Perkins Student Center, a private environment will be provided for anyone wishing to design and decorate a T-shirt depicting their experiences with sexual assault, domestic violence, incest or other forms of relationship abuse. Materials will be provided, and the T-shirts will be added to the Delaware Clothesline Project display.
An interfaith service, with representatives of various campus ministries leading the group in prayer, song and liturgy, will be held from 7-8 p.m., Oct. 9, in the Rodney Room of the Perkins Student Center.
Night march
Campus and community members are invited to join the annual "Take Back the Night" march in support of a safe campus, sexual assault awareness and victims' rights. The march will begin at 5:45 p.m., Oct. 7, on the Newark campus North Mall in front of Harter and Sharp Halls and will end at the Perkins Student Center. Candles, buttons and T-shirts will be available to marchers.
For additional information on Sexual Assault Awareness Week, contact the UD Office of Women's Affairs at 831-8063, or Wellspring at 831-8992.
To request disability accommodations, call 831-8063 or TDD 831-4552 at least 10 business days in advance of the specific event.
