Focus
February 25, 1993
P&ge 4
Rape awareness group strives
to raise campus conciousness
Christine Govven
The Pendulum
One out of three women will
becomc victims of rape or
attempted rape in her lifetime,
according to the United Council.
A group of Eion College students
arc determined to make students
aware of tliis.
'I'hc group, called One in
Three, was formed during the fall
semester in conjunction with the
Ra|)C Crisis Alliance of Alamance
County.
Sylvia Passantino, a senior at
Elon, got the idea of forming the
group after taking a Women’s
Studies seminar.
"Throughout our discussions
in class concerning rape, we
realized there wasn't a specific
program on campus that helped
victims or answered students'
que.stions," Passantino said.
Passiintino conuicted Brenda
Gumm, dirccu)r of the Rape Crisis
Alliancc, for advice. Negotiations
with Elon College administration
were then made to form One in
Three.
Psychology and Human
Services clas.ses were targeted in
the cflorts to campaign for student
volunteers. Professors were also
asked to spread the word and urge
studenus to paaicipate.
Twenty-two students joined
and pledged their .services.
"I didn't have to do much
advertising because people were
willing to be involved,"
Pa.ssantino said.
The Rape Crisis Alliancc
trained the students in a 25 hour
session that took place over one
week. Role plays were performed
and dcKumentary videos on rape
were showed. Each student
received a rape crisis handbook
listing facts, legalitie.s, statistics,
and steps to take in a crisis
situation.
"It's going really well.
Things have turned out much
better than 1 anticipated," Gumm
said. "It's often difficult to get
these programs started at colleges
and to get students to participate."
All 22 members have
volunteered for the Rape Crisis
Hotline and some have completed
internships at the ccnier.
"I didn't expect that to
happen," Gumm said. "They are
working real hard. Sylvia has
made students aware of the need
for this to be done."
Bill Harvey/The Pendulum
Construction began last week on a student emergency phone located outside of Long Student Center.
had to be drawn up explaining the
purpose and future goals of One in
In order for Elon College to Three,
recogni/e the group, a constitution Barbra Prumbly, the group's
advisor, and John Barnhill, director
of Elon Volunteers, have served as
liaisons between the Elon
adminisu'aiion and One in Three.
"I couldn't have done this
without the two of them. They
have helped and supported me so
See Rape, Page 6
Author addresses violence against women
Paulino Bart spoke about violence against women
Courtenay Houston
The Pendulum
Stereotypes contribute to the
continuing cycle of violence
against women in this country,
author Pauline Bart said Monday
night.
“Violence against women is
built into the fabric of today’s
society. We are constantly made
aware of how we are put at risk,”
Ban said.
The forum, “Violence
Against Women” was sponsored
by the SGA Liberal Arts Forum
and One and Three, the rape
awareness group on campus.
“Experiencing violence has
long lasting relative effects on
women,” said Bart.
Bart said that 31 percent of
the women who are raped
experience post-traumatic stress
disorder. Also, 33 percent of the
women who have been raped have
considered committing suicide as
compared to the 8 percent of the
non-rapcd population.
“Women who have been
raped have a greater likelihood of
using drugs and alcohol,” Bart
said.
Bart also discussed the issue
of flourishing mascogoeny
(woman hating) which has been
heightened by Hillary Clinton’s
non-stereotypical role in the
White House. She added that all
forms of violence against women
are targeted at keeping women
subordinated.
“Even 10 or 15 years ago,
the advice that women were given
(on violence against them) was to
sit back and enjoy it...try to get
him (the attacker) to see you as a
human being,” Bart said.
Bart cited a case in which a
woman was being attacked and
her attacker told her “Stop yelling
and act like a lady.”
Bart said that instead of
being passive and trying to
persuade men not to hurt them,
women should try to fend off
their attackers by yelling, fleeing
and exerting physical force.
“Women who use two or
more of these strategies are more
likely to avoid sexual assault,”
Bart said.
“Also, women who had tried
to physically resist their attackers
had less psychological after
effects,” Ban added.
Bart, a professor of
sociology at the University of
Illinois at Chicago, is the author
of three books on violence
against women: Stopping
Rape, The Violence Against
Women: Thg Bloody Footprints
and The Student Sociologist
Handbook.