Editorial opinion
Is rape a cri
cure?
Unfortunately, ti
be the case. The
reported cases ht
recent years, but
of arrest and prdsi
not kept pace.
ception and not tl
a rapist is tried a,
in the courts.
Figures provii
State College Pa
ment indicate.thaf
of reported rapes
surpassed the 11
The numbers rel
ality that Happy
Collegian Forum: RAPE
Avoid dark areas, don't , walk alone at night, 0r...
By DARLENE A. MAY
Crime Prevention Specialist
State College Bureau of Police
In 1975, there were five reported rapes in State
College.
To date in 1977, there have been seven.
The key word in dealing with the ongoing
problem of rape and assault is prevention. Men
and women walking our streets, hitchhiking, or
driving an' automobile are possible moving
targets for rape 'and assault. The following tips if
practiced could help you avoid potentially
dangerous situations.
Don't walk the streets at night alone. If you
must, don't daydream. Be alert, walk quickly
and try to look confident. If possible, plan your
route avoiding alleys, parks, vacant lots, and
dark parking areas. Walk near the curb and use
the safest, best-lighted routes. If you see
someone following you or see a man or group of
men approaching you or loitering, cross the
street. Don't walk on fearlessly. If the man or
men follow you, go to the nearest lighted house
as if it was your destination. This action alone
may convince the actors to keep walking, and if
not, ask the residents to call a cab or friend to
pick you up. It is a common myth .that most
rapists are impulsive and motivated by un
controllable desires.
Most rapists have a plan you should have a
plan.
Hitchhiking DON'T, it's like pldying "rape
roulette." You have no way of knowing if the
...you may become
By JOHN RIDOUT-
Community Relations Officer
University Police Services
"I felt no pain, but I felt filthy. I
stripped down and I stood in the shower
as hot and strong as it would run; I
soaked and i insed and soaked and rinsed
and when I could not stand up anymore,
I sat down in the tub and cried. It wasn't
the sex that was so bad; the worst part
was the split second when I knew I had
no control over my destiny. There he
was, the lowest form of human being. He
treated me as though I was totally
worthless. That's what made me feel so
dirty. I realized how vulnerable I was."
—A rape victim
There is nothing sexual about rape. It
is a violent act, but rather than a gun or
a knife, the major weapon is the penis.
Studies indicate rapists use more than
necessary force to subdue victims and
reach their goals. Sex is the method used
to humiliate victims in the process.
Rapists have many times attacked
Rape prevention
Recently there has been a strong student concern focused on
assaults and rapes in and about the University. In response to
this matter, the University and some concerned students are
giving more attention to insuring the safety of students.
The Association of Residence Hall Students (ARHS) has
formed a security committee to review and make recom
mendations concerning the problem of assaults and rapes at
Penn State. To create student participation in resolving the
current problem, ARHS is sponsoring a poster contest on the
theme, "Don't let it happen to you."
Hopefully, many of you have seen our advertisement in this
paper and are taking the time and effort needed to make this
contest a success. The winning poster will be displayed
throughout the college community.
Another aspect of rape prevention we are concerned with is
the lighting on campus. For the past few years this has been a
major concern of those who frequent the campus at night.
Unfortunately, the energy crisis has made it necessary for the
University to review its energy consumption.
Accordingly, many lights were "green-stickered" or shut
off to save energy. In order to see these lights turned back on
where they are needed, ARHS, in conjunction with the
Undergraduate Student Government, is currently reviewing
the lighting of the entire campus. However, let it be em
phasized that this is neither a quick nor easy task. Suggestions
of problem areas would be appreciated. (Submit these
suggestions to either the ARHS office or to the USG office in
care of Ascher Levy.)
There have been many requests to once again coordinate an
escort service on campus. ARHS is working with the Student
Assistance Center and other student organizations and hopes
to have the escort service in operation in the near future.
Anyone interested in working with the security committee is
encouraged to contact the ARHS office to receive information.
Christopher C. Carey
chairman, ARHS security committee
Still the one
Oct. 23 at 8 p.m., Phil Keaggy will be appearing at
University Auditorium. As lead guitarist for the now defunct
N N ,
crime without
RAPE: A
ime with no everything it's cracked up t0_..., 4 . 010, reall
be.
There have been many po- . \-: 4 \ 716..... - em A
. 1
;his seems to • tential solutions kicked ff part I
number of around recently. Plans have main
las soared in been tried but most of them . the a:
the records failed. The Association for , . emb;
;e the
have Women Students tried in vain feeling
he rule
It's t
when he ex- to organize "people pools" to let otl
.
, escort women to their destina- a pr&
Ind convicted thins around campus. Other the fi
campus organizations have , :.),, still a
ded by the tried to rally support to pro- 111\ Put
dice Depart- vide other types of escort J • most
Lt the number services to stop the alarming _ - futuri
has already number of rapes.
.976 figures. None of these programs has - ' " medif
•
flect the re- been successful and there is a I i •' . . and
Valley is not reason for that: people don't - ' - ' , • with
college coeds, who happen to be the ideal
victims. The coed is depicted as being
careless and embracing the attitude that
"it won't happen to me." Other groups
highly sought after by rapists are the
waitress and the nurse, both keep
irregular hours.
There has been a 'general increase in
the number of reported rapes and at
tempted rapes on the Pennsylvania
State University campus. In 1973 there,
was only one incident of rape reported.
In 1974 there were three incidents of rape
reported on campus.
In 1975, a total of six rapes or at
tempted rapes were reported.
State College borough, during this
same time period, experienced six,
seven and six rapes respectively. By the
number of reported rapes and attempts
there is no way of knowing what the
actual number is that occur.
Authorities are of the opinion that for
every rape that is. reported, three go
motorist picking you up has the same intentions
you have in mind. Despite all warnings, men and
women will still hitchhike. The following in
formation is to help them screen their rides and
reduce the chance of rape or assault now that
they have placed themselves in a high-risk
situation.
Don't hitchhike alone. Never accept a ride
with more than one man in the vehicle. Don't
climb into a van, you don't know who might be in
the back. Check the front and back seats of the
vehicle for beer and liquor bottles. The driver
might be intoxicated. Check the driver over too,
make sure that he is all zipped up. Ask the driver
his destination before you tell him yours. Keep
your hand on the door handle in the event of any
wrong turns or unscheduled stops. This will
enable you to jump out quickly if you so desire.
Keep your window cracked open, if you want to
scream your chances of being heard are greater.
As a final note, motorists can perform a good
public service by jotting down the license
number and a description of the vehicle when
they spot one stopping to pick up a hitchhiker. In
the event that something does develop from what
you have observed, you have information that is
very valuable to law enforcement officials.
Certain precautions should be taken when
operating a vehicle. First of all, make sure it is
in good operating condition and you have enough
gas to get you to your destination. A common
occurrence that could turn into a disaster for you
is a flat tire. Learn how to fix one. If your vehicle
Letters to the Editor
group "Glass Harp," Phil played to packed houses throughout
the country. "Glass Harp" was a huge financial success and
Phil received numerous accolades for his impeccable
musicianship. Dubbed "the world's greatest guitarist" by the
late Jimi Hendrix, Phil attained the pinnacle of success.
However, he chose to forego fame and fortune and cast his
lot with the Lord.
Funny thing not many wanted to hear him play anymore.
Where once there were thousands, now only mere handfuls
would show for his concerts. His hymns just didn't possess the
pizzazz of such inculcating lyrics as "That's the way I like it"
or "I'm your boogie man."
And even though he has continued to grow and improve as a
musician, people still stay away for fear of a little religion. Yet
they flock like geese to see the Pages, Framptons and Rund
grens (et all) who can but dream of attaining the adept
prowess of Phil Keaggy's virtuosity.
Obviously something is amiss: either our education is sadly
lacking or the Madison Avenue Boys are controlling our
consciousness to the point of denuding us of our objectivity. So
do yourself a favor and treat yourself to some of the best
guitar riffs this side of Duane Allman. You'll be more than just
pleasantly surprised.
Crosby
I was disappointed to find that The Daily Collegian carried
only one small article on the back page about the passing of a
world famous entertainer, Bing Crosby.
In this day and age when headlines scream of terrorism,
corruption and graft, could not equal time have been given to a
man who was loved• by millions the world over? Bing Crosby
and his family exemplified the American family unit, unlike
many entertainers who today marry four or five times and
still find no real happiness. His slow, easy-going air, his
orange juice commercials, and, of course, his immortal
"White Christmas" were a part of most of us, young or old.
Yes, he will be missed when, this year at Christmas, his
warm, friendly, familiar glow that endeared him to millions
does not appear on our living room TV screen.
Lorin S. Weigard, II
4th-liberal arts
should, break down, get out of it only to lift the
hood and tie a handkerchief or cloth on the
aerial. Lock your doors and roll up your win
dows.
If someone should stop, roll your window down
just a crack and ask them to call for help. If ybu
are driving late at night, don't take the scenic
route or a short-cut that takes you off the main
highway. Stay on the main roads as much as
possible, you'll have lots of company arid light.
When parking your vehicle try to do so as close to
your destination as possible and in a well-lighted
area. Don't forget to lock your car.
• When returning, have your car key ready so
you won't have to fumble for it. Make it a habit to
check the back seat of your car. Someone could
be hiding in there. Once in your car, lock all the
doors and roll the windows up.
Another question many women ask about rape
is what should they do if they cannot avoid it? •
First of all, in the actual rape encounter you
might be fearful, ashamed and confused. It
might be helpful to remember that these feelings
are normal. Tell yourself that you will see your
attacker again in court, and this might help
you to remain calm and it gives you something to
do. During the assault memorize your attacker's
height, build, age, hair style and color, eyes,
nose, mouth, and scars if any.
After the assault you still may have to cope
with strong negative feelings. You might feel
distrust and anger towards everyone; feelings of
guilt, helplessness, worthlessness are also
a rape victim IT W 'S NOT SAFE FOR WOMEN T ALK THE STREETS AT NIGHOT..
unreported. Rape and attempted rape on
the Penn State campus have been few in
number. Because of this there is little
predictive statistical value.
The incidents have occurred in the
morning as well as the evening, in places
such as academic buildings, women's
rest rooms, parking lots and open areas.
Furthermore, there is no significant
data regarding time of day, week,
location or time of year. The statistics
have been too few to be of predictive
value.
However, over the years, rapists have
established a pattern that indicates
Friday and Saturday as the most
frequent days for the offense to occur,
with the most likely hours being from 8
p.m. until midnight. Mos,t rapes occur
during July and August, while the least
occur in December and January, sup
porting Thermic's law of delinquency
which states that there will be more
crime during the hot months. •
Rape occurs all over the globe, in-
volves all races, ages, and people from
all backgrounds. There is no immunity.
Victims suffering the traumatic ex
perience of rape rarely report the in
cident. Fear, guilt, shame and desire to
protect oneself or loved ones from ex
posure to an insensitive society con
tribute to the many reasons many rapes
go unreported.
Unfortunately, rapists are many times
repeaters, and a woman not reporting
the incident increases the probability
that another woman will be victimized.
A change in society's• attitude toward
rape is occuring and the gap between the
myths and the facts surrounding the
crime need to be eliminated.
If you are raped, please report it. This
department attempts to promote an
atmosphere in which rape may be
controlled, victims properly treated and
the offender effectively processed.
With youi• help and assistance, there
can be no incidents to reduce to
statistics.
Non-sectarian
This letter concerns the upcoming Phil Keaggy concert on
Sunday, Oct. 23. Please tell the critic you are sending that Phil
Keaggy is a Christian. And as a Christian, he will sing about
Christ, the Bible, and his personal Christian life. Phil Keaggy
may even read the Bible on certain occasions. So please ask
the critic to critique the music and not the man's.beliefs.
Male reaction
In response to "Praise that we ladies can surely do without"
(Oct. 17) :
I just wanted to give a male's reaction to Ms. Rozen's
suggestions. The next time I see a girl with a face that looks
like the, gates of Hades, staggering down the street, picking
her nose, and hurling bags of garbage, I'll probably be slightly
turned off and won't even give her a complimentary glance. I
will admit, however, that it would "make for a good story at
the next party during the obligatory discussion of urban
survival techniques."
Is it any wonder that "everything is getting smaller these
days?"
P. K. Little
graduate-biology
Anonymity
What can American society use to motivate people, now that
"the chance to become somebody" is virtually extinct?
Robert Boyer
United Ministry at Penn State
Eisenhower Chapel
Sources bared
Responding to the request by Scott Martin and C.J. ,Muskas
for my sources in my Heinz column: The Young and Guzzetta
common reactions. It might cross your. mind
that the last thing you want to do right now is
report it to the police.
Try to overcome these feelings and report the
assault to the police immediately. You might
feel dirty and want to bathe, another common
reaction. Don't. Unfortunately, you are walking
evidence and you have to come as you are.
Perhaps many women are fearful of what
happens after they report it, so a few words on
that. After being raped a woman might not feel
like walking to the police station or maybe has no
transportation. So, our bureau dispatches a
police officer to her location.
Immediately after a rape the victim might not
want to be interviewed at the police station but
would rather be in her own home. This presents
no problem for us and if it makes you feel more
comfortable, all the better. If the victim wants
the assault investigated it is important for her to
have a medical examination immediately and
the next step would be to transport her to the
hospital. After the examination we like to have a
police officer assist the victim in making a
composite drawing of her attacker as they have
proven to be a very valuable tool.
Most women are surprised that they can make
a composite that closely resembles her attacker.
If the victim feels she cannot talk to a male of
ficer, a female officer will be provided; in our
bureau we have four, two of which are trained in
composite drawing.
' Robin Thomas
grad-ecology
a cure?
y know there is a prob-
natural reaction on the
of many victims is to re
t silent. The disclosure of
issault could bring them
iarassment, . shame or
igs of guilt. But they must
:her women know there is
vblem, or must live with
pact that the assailant is
, t large. _ _
blic awareness is the
effective tool against
.e assaults. Women
id report to the nearest
acallacility for treatment,
report the incident, along
a description -- of the
payoffs and subsequent legionaire diesase cover-up are ,
revealed in a story by the Associated Press, May 4, 1977, which
appeared in The Daily Collegian, May 5, 1977, page 4. t 4,,r,
,
The $6,000 Gulf Oil illegal contribution is an establisheeik ,
campaign finance fact; you can find it in October and ,,
November 1976 issues of Time Magazine, The New Yorl
Times, plus the wire services. 0. ,,
,
Other sources for my article include various 1976-77 issues o , n
the Congressional Record, and the Pittsburgh PresC
congressional vote synopsis of August 7, 1977, page E-Z. ao,
As for why Sen. Heinz is not behind bars; perhaps it'svi
because too many people are willing to challerige established',
fact rather than Heinz. u.:l
Don Esherick
11th-biology.
dathry Collegian
Jeffrey Hawkes
Editor
OPINION BOARD: Jeffrey Hawkes, Marty Smith, Mik4:
Mentrek, Dave Skidmore, Karen Egolf, Jerry Lucci.
AS;
BOARD OF EDITORS: Editorial Editor, Marty Smith; News ,
Editor, Mike Mentrek; Assistant Editorial Editor, • Karen:*
Egolf; Assistant 'News Editor, Dave Skidmore; Wire Editor;:,
Judy Mesko; Copy Editors, Jay Bookman, Dave Colborn,
Goldberg, Laura Shemick; Layout Editors, Sally Hef
fentreyer, • Jerry Micco; Features Editor, Patty Rhule4
Graphics Editor, Mark Van Dine; Arts Editor, Julie Swindellri : ,
Sports Editor, Pete Dougherty; Assistant Sports Editors V;
Jerry Lucti, Joyce Tomana; Photo Editor, Ken Kasper;""
Assistant Photo Editors, Andy Gumberg, Rich Hoffman;ki .
Office Manager, Vicki Butler.
BEAT COORDINATORS: Consumer-Business, Jay Schoni
thaler; Faculty-Administration, Bob Frick; Local Govern- i
ment, Paul Corbran; Minorities, John Martellaro; Politics,g;
Pete Barnes; Student Government, Mary Ellen Wright. '''"
,
assailant, to the police.. The
police, in turn, should im
mediately
release times, .i.
places, and circumstances of f.'
any reported. attacks for' the '
awareness of all citizens., 1 '
Increased lighting may ;"
help, but that may only push ~
the crime into dark places.
You can't light up the whole
town. Escort services could "
work, but the record has i
shown that they haven't been
well used. lIV.
Women should pay attention
to police reports and take
them seriously. Ask any rape
victim if she still feels "it
can't happen to me."
~
If the victim feels she needs a friend or want's a
volunteer from the Rape Crisis Center with tigt•
during the investigation, this is also encouragqi,
Two important things to remember are that you
are not alone and that the greatest disservice
you can do to other women is to not take any step
toward the arrest of your attacker. Nobody can
force you to file charges but at least. give all
possible information to police so the rapist can
eventually be caught.
Rape is one of the most commonly coMmitted!,
violent crimes and the least often reported:
Embarrassment, degrading treatment from ,
police and doctors, a courtroom re-enactment of;
the ordeal and the threat of a defense lawyer's;
inquiries into her previous promiscuity are ,
reasons women have given to explain their,
silence. Hopefully, this is part of the past!
because serious efforts have been made to deal:
with these problems.
Most police and medical agencies have or are •
in the process of establishing procedures for the
handling of rape victims and training programs . .
for their personnel. House Bill 580 has also;
changed the courtroom scene for the rape vic
tim. It has given rape victims the same rights as!
the victim of any other crime, and is certainly:
the result of the active campaign against rape
which has been taking place nationwide. --.
Your best weapons against rape are
AWARENESS, PRECAUTION and IN-,
VOLVEMENT.
MT CcoPER.
Mark Harmoli;
Collegian Columnist::
Scott Sesleil';
Business Managet;