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

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24 The House

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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

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by J im Woody People need other people. And that is the fundamental assumption which generates actions and activities of The House, a crisis intervention center located at 321 W. Eighth St. in Hays. Everyone has experienced a situation that requires the help of another individual. For these situations people usually turn to their friend s. But sometimes the problem is something that cannot be discussed with friends. That ' s where The House comes in. Any time of the day or night, all a troubled individual needs to do is visit or cal! The House and ask for help. Prob- lems dealing with drugs, venereal disease, homosexuality, problem pregnancies, marital and family conflicts, loneliness, alcoholic abuse, emotional depression, school frustrations, boy-girl relationships and suicide are all discussed. With the aid of the counselor, the individual who needs help will attempt to find his own solution and be better pre- pared to face and conquer other problems which may arise in the future. in 1971 , a Fort Hays State psychology graduate student, Steve Shipley, recognized the need for a drug counseling service in Hays. From his idea The House was formed. Since then The House has moved from its original location on Sixth Street to the present location and has expanded services offered. Originally, The House was associated mainly with Fort Hays State, but recently people from the Hays area have been taking advantage of the many services The House offers, in the last quarterly report to The House’s board of directors, statistics showed that of the 1 72 people who con- tacted the center, under half were students. The House receives all its financial aid from the Ellis County United Fund and private donations, and charges nothing for the services it offers. There are two paid staff pos- itions, the director and assistant director. All other staff posi- tions are filled by volunteers, comprised of students and other people from the community. When a person contacts The House, the staff member on duty finds out the nature of the problem, then together they work at identifying the problem ' s source and discuss possible solutions. The counselor does not tell the troubled person what to do, but rather points out possible alternatives and tries to answer any questions asked. Many times The House simply acts as a referral agency. People may ask where to get legal advice or how to obtain birth control pills or whatever and the staff tells people where As of June 11.1977 The House is at a different location — 209 E Fourth St. They were asked to move from this house by the owner who decided to build a car wash in its place to go or who to contact for the various information and ser- vices. One recent service undertaken by The House is admin- istering high school diploma equivalency tests. The local school system was overburdened with other projects, so The House took on the responsibility of this program. One of the main services offered at the center since the time it began is drug counseling. Staff members are able to identify the drugs and explain the consequences of taking various drugs. All business between The House and the pub- lic is strictly confidential. The staff does not pass judgement or condemn anyone but will help any person who wants help. Last year nearly 1 ,100 people contacted The House. Of those, the largest age group represented was between 19 and 26 years of age. The misconception exists that only stu- dents and other young people contact The House, but statis- tics show the second largest age group using The House’s services is between 26 and 40 years of age. Certain times of the year bring a rise in the number of contacts. The fall quarter is the busiest time of the year for The House staff. The reason for this business can be attributed to the return of students to school. Freshmen fre- quently undergo a difficult adjustment period during their first year in college. This time sometimes requires counseling to just get through. Since many of the staff have had the same experience, troubled students can relate easily to them. Anyone passing through Hays needing to spend the night but unable to afford a motel, can always go to The House. Several beds are available, and like all other services offered, lodging is also free. Family counseling is another service that many people use. Conflicts between parents and children, husband and wife or siblings are all discussed. By bringing out problems openly with the aid of the counselor, possible solutions are frequently worked out. There has long been, in this country, a stigma attached to persons who seek psychiatric help. The House offers a unique and valuable service to persons who don ' t feel the need for extensive psychiatric aid, but are troubled about some aspect of life. They can come and go as they please without fear of others placing the stamp of social undesira- bility on them. The House is a non-profit corporation that continues to expand its services year after year for the sole purpose of serving FHS students and Hays area citizens. At any time and for anyone in distress, help is just a phone call away. The House 25