Fort Hays State University - Reveille Yearbook (Hays, KS)

Page 25 text:

happen to you Another myth of rape is that the rapist is mentally ill. According to her studies, Arnhold says the majority of rapists are sexually normal, married, and are fathers. Rapists are physically and psychologically normal with a greater tend- ency to violence ' Ward said. Most rapes are not spontane- ous events. A current survey in Philadelphia indicated that 58 per cent of rapists know the victim. In fighting back, the woman has two options. Either she physically wards off his attack or psychs him out. The rapist usually expects a passive victim. Surprising the attacker is one option to be considered. Objects such as pencils and keys can be used effectively in stopping the attack. Koerner noted that two of the best weapons a woman has are her scream and her nails; however, the resistance — biting, scratching, kicking, screaming — may drive him to overcome; he may want a fight. The conviction rate for rapists is shockingly low. Fewer than one of 10 trials results in a verdict of guilty 1 reveals Shana Alexander ' s book, Women’s Legal Rights. Stiff penal- ties may be the reason for the low conviction rate in sexual assault cases, Terry Nida, coordinator for the Administration of Justice Program with Fort Hays State and Wichita State University, discussed the rape problem in the Hays community, In 1974, five rapes were reported in Hays, with only one arrest and no convictions 5 Nida also commented on Hays ' prob- lem in relation to other communities. This city has more rapes than any other community of its size in the state. While Lenexa, Junction City, Olathe and Emporia are statistically worse than Hays, those cities are close to larger cities. The problem of rape and sexual assault the past year in the Hays community and at FHS has promoted many rape- prevention meetings and seminars on and off campus. The student survey brought forth the fact that students are not aware of the problem or of the facilities in Hays which help victims of sexual assault and rape. Seventy per cent of the total surveyed either was not aware of any facility or said there was no facility. I didn ' t know Hays even had a rape hotline or any sort of rape center, said one FHS rape victim. The House, located at 405 Eighth St., has a rape hotline and counsels rape victims. The two local hospitals also pro- vide assistance for rape victims. Dr. Ward Newcomb, Hays Pathology Laboratory, said that there is a rape kit at both Hays hospitals and there is a person on call at all times to treat rape victims. Many people are unprepared to handle a rape situation. Ellis County Sheriff Dave Wasinger stresses that the first thing one should do when learning of a rape victim is to call for medical help. The victim should not bathe, brush teeth, or change clothes immediately after a rape because medical evidence must first be obtained Wasinger emphasized. Rape victims must be treated sensitively. Such treatment is needed so the victim will remember the crime ' s details. Rape is a subject people don’t like to think about or talk about. Yet it must be brought out in the open so that preven- tion and education can come about. Think about others, think about yourself — in a rape situation. Be prepared to handle it because it does happen. Even to people like you. Rape 23

Page 24 text:

Q It could by Susan Janzen Rape- A violent, vicious crime, a build up of insecurities, A deep psychological problem. An endless emotional wound, a serious act that can prelude death. A problem at Fort Hays State! A sexual assault survey was conducted in November by Rose Arnhold, assistant professor of sociology, and Kathy Ward, Russell senior to assess student perceptions in the area of sexual assault. 1 ’ Taken from a random sampling of 500 men and 500 women students, the results indicated four per cent of the female respondents had been victims of a sex- ual assault. Eighteen per cent said they had been victims of an attempted sexual assault; however, the survey conveyed a Jack of concern and awareness about sexual assault from FHS students. Over 70 per cent of those who took the survey did not know it had become a problem. I never thought it would happen to me, so I never took the time to listen or learn like I should have,” said a fall semester rape victim. The legal definition of rape in Kansas is the act of sex- ual intercourse committed by a man with a woman not his wife, and without her consent, when committed under any of the following circumstances: 1) when a woman s resistance is overcome by force or fear; 2) when the woman is uncon- scious or physically powerless to resist; 3) when the woman is incapable of giving her consent because of mental defi- ciency or disease; 4) when the woman s resistance is pre- vented by the effect of any alcoholic liquor, narcotic drug or other substance administered to the woman by the man or another for the purpose of preventing the woman ' s resist- ance, unless the woman voluntarily consumes or allows the administration of the substance with the knowledge of its nature.” (K,SA 21 -3502) Arnhold said, One myth of rape is that nice women are not rape victims and somehow it is her fault 1 It is an aggres- sive crime. Any female can be raped — women of religious orders as welt as prostitutes. They come from all social classes and levels. Reported ages have ranged from two months to 93 years old. But not only women can be raped. There are increasing cases of children and men being raped. Rape is a desire to dominate and an expression of hostil- ity. Rape is a crime of violence, not of lust, noted Dr. Roy Neil, Hays physician. He spoke at a November seminar on sexual assault in the Memorial Union, He explained, If women are led to believe rape is a crime of violence, they wilt not feel guilty and not have emotions of anger and rage if they understand the true meaning of rape as a violent crime, Psychologists and researchers, such as Masters and Johnson, have generally agreed that rape occurs not because the man suffers from abnormal sex drives but from uncontrollable anger which he takes out on society ' s weak- est” victim. The majority of men do not rape because they are sexually aroused at the time. The mere satisfaction of degrading and dehumanizing the female victim in order to enhance his own ego is the rapist ' s strongest intent. Tom Koerner, Hays city commissioner, believes the rapist has deep psychological discrepancies and has to prove his manhood because of his insecurities. 22 Rape

Page 26 text:

24 The House