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EDITORIAL: Women should demand respect and men should give it to them as one way to help stop the cylce of sexual violence. See Kansan.com for more opinions and Free for All comments
MONDAY,MAY 7,2007 WWW.KANSAN.COM
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
PAGE 9A
》 OUR VIEW
Take precautions, be a voice against sexual violence
The liberating college experience — overflowing with occasions to party and drink excessively — is unfortunately a period in which sexual violence is frequent, particularly against women. According to a report by the Office of Justice Programs, 20-25 percent of women are raped during their time at college. Sexual violence is also one of the most under-reported crimes. Many women, fearing social judgment and ostracism, don't tell anyone about their experiences. Indeed because the vast majority of sexual violence is committed
by acquaintances and alcohol is often a factor, female victims are frequently fearful of reporting sexual violence to authorities and friends alike.
Thus the silent epidemic continues and is devastating both for its victims and for society. In few cases, it leads to suicide. More generally, it fuels hatred and distrust and creates unhealthy implications for future relationships. In recognition of the personal and societal devastation caused by sexual violence, students, especially in university settings, should take steps to prevent incidents and to
support victims.
To stop sexual violence from occurring, create a buddy system at parties. Leaving someone behind because they're too drunk to move is not a good idea. Inducing blackouts is, to put it lightly, never wise. In general, don't drink excessively in strange environments.
Women, demand respect
— don't bother flirting with or even talking to men who degrade women with inappropriate jokes and comments. Remember that first dates should be in public locations. Also, "bad feelings" about a
date should be taken seriously. If faced with unwanted sexual approaches, be disgusting. Belch, fart, pick your nose and become schizophrenically hysterical.
Men, be respectful — recognize the daily pressures women encounter to be "perfect" and avoid being one of these pressures. Don't stand for "guy talk" that involves jokes about taking advantage of girls — they're not funny. Remember that guys aren't invincible and can be victims — yes, victims — of unwanted sex, too.
Through conversation,
students can also dispel rape related stereotypes. For example, rape usually doesn't involve a horny stranger jumping out of a dark alleyway welding a knife. Often, perpetrators can be our own acquaintances. Furthermore, no girl "asks for it." Women in revealing clothing may be asking for attention - unsurprisingly, since our sexist culture has taught women to get attention with their bodies - but they're certainly not asking to be raped.
common than one would like to think. Be supportive of friends who have opened up about their experiences. For those who have not shared their experience, talk, at the very least contact a university counselor. For the bolder individuals who have experienced sexual violence, speak out loudly to help inform and protect future generations of students.
Lastly, recognize that sexual violence happens, sometimes despite precautions, and is more
Our precautions, support and outspokenness can help stop this silent epidemic.
Alison Kieler for the editorial board
》 COMMENTARY
Teamwork takes responsibility
"The way a team plays as a whole determines its success. You may have the greatest bunch of individual stars in the world, but if they don't play together, the club won't be worth a dime." — Babe Ruth
Babe Ruth has one heck of an obvious, but logical point. This previous weekend, April 27 through 29, the intramural softball men's women's and co-ed tournaments took place. The team I was part of played in the co-ed league, a league that saw game after game forfeited because of teammates not showing up.
As Babe Ruth said, several "clubs" weren't "worth a dime" because teammates couldn't figure out that others were depending on them.
Yes, challenges were certainly in place to overcome. Throughout the league's season, teams were signed up to play on specific nights and at specific times so that team members could make their play times work for them. However, every team was required to be able to play on any day of the tournament weekend
Friday, Saturday and Sunday
BY JODI ANN HOLOPIREK
— and be available to play at any time throughout those days.
Another challenge to note is that a few games were even scheduled for 8 a.m. time slots on Sunday morning.
Eight in the morning is an early time, but team members had a week to realize this and plan ahead for an early start. For some reason, many players remained absent, leaving their teammates frantically calling anyone they could think of to fill the spot.
If they had a team presentation to give for class, would they have made it? Or would they have expected the others to make the presentation for them? Based on what happened at the tournaments, they would have slept in and not
FREE FOR ALL
Call 864-0500
Free for All callers have 20 seconds to speak about any topic they wish. Kansan editors reserve
the right to omit comments. Slanderous and obscene statements will not be printed. Phone numbers of all incoming calls are
recorded.
Is it legal if my R.A. steals my ball?
I got on the bus seat, out of the rain and it was raining on the bus.
图
I took the nastiest alcohol poop today. It smelled like baby crap in a bottle. It was awesome.
To the person who called in and said there were five naked guys running down the street; There were six. Get it right.
sorority girls got on every single computer and went on Facebook, simultaneously
I was in the Union computer lab tonight, and seriously, sixty
--sorority girls got on every single computer and went on Facebook, simultaneously
sorority girls got on every single computer and went on Facebook, simultaneously
I'm so high, I'm going to have to take,Save Ride to work!
cared who picked up the slack.
By the way, the main ingredient in Coca-Cola is carbonated water, not sugar. Get your facts straight.
College students are stereotypically known for their undependability, laziness and ability to come up with any excuse to get out of something they don't want to do. So what was our team thinking when we decided to depend on college-aged students?
Whoever changed the sign on 14th and Tennessee from "Road Closed Ahead" to "Road Head" is
like crows.
For one, when you know someone and you've seen their work ethic, you think it's pretty safe to depend on them. Two, they willingly signed up to join the team. Three, when they guarantee you they'll show up, usually you're safe to rely on them. To those people, it's time you realized that your actions affected other people. Next time, your decision to take responsibility might have more dire consequences than an intramural softball championship.
There are three kinds of people. Those who can count, and those
Harry Osborne dies at the end of
I'm a member of a team, and I rely on the team, I defer to it and sacrifice for it, because the team, not the individual,
awesome
who can't.
like crows.
Oh yeah, and the third one's your
I was just wondering if anyone else saw the flock of older women at Wescoe the other day, because I referred to the elderly as a "flock"
like crows.
Holopirek is an Otis graduate student in journalism.
Spider-Man 3
phone,
like crows.
I wear my sunglasses at night.
To the girl that hit the black car in the Park & Ride lot, this morning: I totally saw you, and you shouldn't have just driven off. You should drive without talking on your cell
My boyfriend just broke up with me, and all I really miss is the sex. Is it weird that I miss sex so much?
Just because you're a basketball player or a football player doesn't mean that you can try and run over poor, white engineering
To the guy who wrecked his bike so he wouldn't run into me: Thank you for hurting your instead of me.
Free for All, I want to put a hit out on Gumby's. They're not answering my damn calls anymore.
Has anyone ever noticed how Kid Rock and the guy from Rage Against the Machine have the
student
same voice?
same voice?
Grant Snider/KANSAN
》 LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Women have a choice in abortions
Fact: Abortion may be legal, but that does not mean that everyone is required to have one. We can sit back and sentimentalize the destruction of 48 million fetuses all we want, but to do so means to overlook much more pertinent information.
One of the biggest controversies in the abortion debate is when life begins. The heart begins to beat about three weeks into pregnancy; however, a fetus is incapable of surviving outside the womb until about twenty weeks. Is something incapable of sustaining its own existence truly alive? Furthermore,
abortion occurs naturally 15 to 40 percent of the time, according to PlannedParenthood.org.
Studies have shown that women who have children complete a lower level of education. Raising a child takes money, time, and energy. A student, at the high school or collegiate level, has none of these to devote to a child. One mistake, her fault or not, should not condemn a woman for the rest of her life. After all, it takes two people to make a baby.
I feel like I'm opening a can of worms in mentioning paternal roles but it must be addressed. I'd be nice
if a father took responsibility, agreed to pay child support and helped raise the child, but this is not guaranteed. When men are capable of facing the risks of pregnancy and/or are legally bound to assume responsibility, they should have a say in what happens to a fetus.
Some people say that in a perfect world, no one would have sex until they're married and ready for a child. I say, in a perfect world birth control would be 100 percent effective and abortions would be legal everywhere.
》 TALK TO US
Gabriela Souza, editor
864-4854 or gsouza@kansan.com
864-454 Kelley, *managing editor*
864-454 or kelley.jkanasan
Nickie Keller, *managing editor*
864-454 or kelley.jkanasan
Patrick Ross, *managing editor*
864-454 or prossa.jkanasan
Courtney Hagen, * opinion editor*
864-454 or chaenan.jkanasan
Melissa Johnson Joliet, Ill., freshman
Natalie Johnson, associate opinion editor 864-4924 or njohnson@kansan.com
Lindsey Shirack, business manager
864-4014 or lshirack@kansan.com
Jackie Schaffer, sales manager 864-4462 or jschaffer@kansan.com
Malcolm Gibson, general manager, news adviser
864-2667 or mailsonjikansan.com
Jennifer Weaver, sales and marketing adviser
864-7666 or jweaver@kansan.com
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EDITORIAL BOARD
Gabriella Souca, Nicole Kelley, Patrick Ross, Courtney Hagen,
Natalie Johnson, Allison Kieler, Tasha Riggs and McKay
Stangler