CAMPUS/AREA UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
---
Wednesday, March 9, 1994
3
Law tracks the trails of stalkers
Avenues open to KU victims of advances
By David Stewart Kansan staff writer
Breaking up is hard to do, especially when romantic affection turns to dangerous obsession.
For most stalking victims, the end of a close relationship can be the start of a constant nightmare with their former partners.
The crime could involve stalkers calling and leaving unsolicited messages repeatedly, sending threatening letters and notes or shadowing the victims whenever they leave home.
The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence reports that as many as 200,000 people are being stalked in the country—90 percent of them women, most of whom are stalked by ex-partners.
In response to several high-profile stalking cases during the last four years, most states have enacted anti-
stalking legislation.
Kansas law defines stalking as "the intentional, malicious and repeated following and harassment of another person." Under the law, stalking is a misdemeanor punishable by less than one year in jail or a $1,000 fine.
Records from the Lawrence and KU police indicate that only a few stalking cases have been reported since the Kansas anti-stalking law went into effect in July.
Sgt. Rose Rozmairek of the KU police said that four cases had been reported last year at the University of Kansas, which involved complaints by two students and two University employees.
Lt. Mark Brothers of the Lawrence police said he estimated that about 12 to 24 reports of 20,000 total residents' complaints had dealt with stalking.
"It's not a small number if you're the one being stalked," Brothers said.
"But stalking is a difficult crime to put numbers to. We see cases where the complainant put up with problems a lot longer than they should, but it still may not fit the exact stalking law."
The anti-stalking legislation has given police a tool to pursue and prosecute stalkers, but many students do not realize that the laws are in place, said Connie Burk, coordinator for Women's Transitional Care Service in Lawrence. She said she thought that the crime went unreported in most cases.
"It happens all the time on campus," Burk said. "But there isn't a lot of information out there for victims to go to.
"The stalking law is a start. But some women still are unclear what constitutes stalking."
But David Amber, vice chancellor for student affairs, said students had the necessary information available about what they could do about stalking, including using a section in the student code of conduct enacted in the fall semester.
"There is a provision that covers stalking," Amber said. "But in order to implement the code, it takes student cooperation. The code provides a disciplinary system, but you have to
observe a crime in order to report it."
According to the student code of conduct, "An offense against a person is committed when a student. . willfully, maliciously and repeatedly follows or attempts to make unwanted contact with another person."
Statutes such as the Kansas law have stemmed from attempts to provide some legal grounding to previously unprosecutable acts, said Julene Maska, coordinator for victim's rights in the office of the Kansas Attorney General.
"The statute prohibits specific activity," Maska said. "Before the antistalk law, there was no law that would fit. A stalker could sit across the street all day from a victim, but there was nothing before to charge them with."
A bill pending in the State Legislature would increase the severity of stalking from a misdemeanor to a felony. Maska said this would keep handguns out of the hands of convicted stalkers because "a felony means they can't possess a handgun."
Ant-stalking legislation may be the first step in alerting police departments that they should do more than keep the law and order in their community, said Cheryl Tyiska, director
What you can do
Cheryl Tyiska of the National Organization for Victim Assistance recommended that victims take certain steps to convince police that they are being stalked:
Keep a written log or a record of the incidence of stalking, including phone calls, unwanted visits to home, school or work and occurrences of being followed.
If possible, get photos of the alleged stalker. Take down statements from witnesses at the time of any incidence of stalking.
The more evidence the police have of stalking, Tyiska said, the more likely they are to make arrests.
KANSAN
"This tells the police that they have responsibility to make sure this victim doesn't get hurt," Tyiska said. "What we have here is a group of victims who say 'We're mad as hell and not going to take it.'"
of victim services at the National Organization for Victim Assistance in Washington.
Carnaval celebrates Brazilian, Portuguese culture
By Denise Nell Kansan staff writer
Every year, Brazil shuts down for four days, and the people party.
This tradition, known as "Carnaval" to Brazilians, is what drew a few Brazilian KU students together 16 years ago. They wanted to find a way to simulate the four days of dancing, parades, music and food they were missing each year while studying at the University. Carnival usually takes place at the end of February or the beginning of March.
"Carnaval is a tradition in our country," said Rubens Gomes, Rio de Janeiro graduate student and member of the Brazil-Portugal Association. "Every year, we have four days dedicated for the Carnaval. It's a holiday. The only thing open is bars. The whole country parties on the streets. It's a time of the year for people to forget about all their problems. They want to release all the stresses they have."
UNITING TO BE HEARD
Both of those original goals are being met, said Marcelo Guimaraes, Rio de Janeiro junior and vice president of the
The 16th annual Carnaval took place Saturday night at Liberty Hall, 642 Massachusetts St. The event included Brazilian music, food, dancing and a costume contest.
Participants of the Carnaval wear costumes and dance in a ceibation at Liberty Hall. About 500 people attended the annual event on Saturday night.
"We played music played during the Carnaval, and we had a big video screen showing a Carnival in Rio," Guiarmara said.
Gomes said the students who organized that first celebration later had formed the Brazil-Portugal Association. The purpose of the group was to make sure that Carnaval was continued every year and to provide a place where new Brazilian and Portuguese students could find help and understanding.
The event has become popular not only in Lawrence but also in surrounding areas, said Katia Silva, Rio de Janeiro graduate student and member of the group. People travel from Kansas City and as far away as Nebraska to attend the Carnaval, which has taken place in Liberty Hall for the past six years. And each of those years, the 550 tickets available have been sold, she said.
Although the majority of the group's
The group also has been successful in making new Brazilian and Portuguese students feel welcome at the University, Guimaraes said. Members of the group often will pick the new students up at the airport and give them a place to stay until they find housing. This fall, the group sponsored a party to welcome the new students.
"We still have a relationship with
"Because we come from another country, when we get here, we're kind of lost," he said. "If you don't know where to go, you can find other people who speak Portuguese."
almost 75 members are Brazilian, there are two or three Portuguese members, Gomes said. People from both Brazil and Portugal speak Portuguese.
them because of the fact that Brazil was discovered by Portugal," he said. "We still have some friendships and relationships."
Gomes said the group wanted to educate the campus about Brazilian
culture.
"Our main goal is to join our community, to sponsor diversity on campus," he said. "We want to allow people here to find out more about our culture."
Asians seek connection in cultures
By Cheryl Cadue
Kansan staff writer
ASIAN AMERICAN FESTIVAL
An Asian American is anyone of Asian descent who was born in the United States or has decided to live
But Pamela Kandra, Gladstone, Mo., junior, said members of the group found that the "Asian" in "Asian American" was not enough to unite them with other students of Asian descent.
"They look at our title and say, We're not American, so we can't be in it," she said. "It's been hard for all of us to get together."
Kandra said that she would like to see more unity but that Asian organizations on campus could not be clumped together because each group faced different problems and cultural barriers.
here, said Kuo Jen Tsoa, internal vice president of the Asian American Student Union.
"A lot of meetings are held in their own language," she said. "Some of us don't understand the language of our nationality, so I guess we could feel out of place."
Kandra said that she wanted to know enough about her culture and heritage to pass traditions on to her children but that she wanted to learn more about other Asian traditions. "I want people to understand their own culture and other Asian cultures, especially because AASU encompasses all Asian backgrounds," she said.
Joe Perez, St. Louis junior and member of the group, said the group allowed Asian Americans to explore the Asian heritage that they may have lost in their American upbringing.
Asian students make up 2.4 percent of the student population at the University, said Mark Choti, public relations officer for the group.
Joyce Hammond-Perry, associate director of the Office of Affirmative Action, said the University used a federal list to identify Asian students. Those included in the definition are Japanese, Chinese, Korean, those of Indian subcontinent origin or those of Pacific Islander origin.
Tsao said that despite the fact that most members of the group had been born in the United States, they identified with their native cultures.
"We're lucky a lot of people in our organization are interested in their culture," Tsao said. "Even though they don't speak the language, they are interested in their culture. They are trying to discover what their heritage is."
Sidewinders Saloon
WEDNESDAY 25C FRIDAY $1.25
LADIES NIGHT DRAWS
No Cover For Ladies, $2 Cover For Guys
32 OZ. DRAWS
$1 Shot Specials Every Day! Great Country Music
STUDENT TRAVEL
1-800-777-0112
The world's largest student & youth travel organization
ST
STA TRAVEL
STA TRAVEL
729 NEW HAMPSHIRE DOWNTOWN LAWRENGE 918 642 2115
Pet Care 15% OFF BOARDING FOR DOGS & CATS
842-9979
1 Mile East of Johnny's
VISA MasterCard
Current K.U.I.D. Required FREE PICK-UP & DELIVERY
Don't Miss Your Chance!
Student Union Activities is looking for Committee Members for the 1994-95
Committee Member informational meetings will be held Tuesday, April 5, in the Southwest lobby of the Burge Union at 7:30 p.m., and Wednesday, April 6, in the Frontier Room of the Burge Union at 7:30 p.m. Applications for committee members will be available only at these informational meetings. For more information call 864-3477
schoolyear!
Committee Member informational meetings will be held
schoolyear!
Committees include:
Feature Films, Fine Arts
Forums, Live Music,
Public Relations, Special
Events, Spectrum Films, And
Recreation & Travel.
Pre-commencement Open House Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday March 7,8 & 9,1994
Step up to the top of the hill for every thing you'll need for that walk down the Hill!
10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Jayhawk Bookstore
1420 Crescent Road
843-3826