Sexual assault education comes to campus

The second annual Rape and Sexual Assault Awareness Week will begin on Monday, March 15 and last until Friday, March 19. Highlights of the week will include a victim of sexual assault who will speak to the community and other events such as discussions on date rape, security on campus and a WYBF radio program on the healing process.

by Megan Zustra copy editor

An attempt to educate the entire campus community about rape and sexual assault will be made next week.

Cabrini College will host its second annual Rape and Sexual Assault Awareness Week from Monday, March 15 until Friday, March 19.

Programs and discussions will be held for students, faculty and staff members.

The highly acclaimed program "As They See It Allyson Kurker Tells Her Story" is a program involving Kurker's real-life bout with sexual assault during her senior year of high school.

Kurker will share her story with the audience and will also speak about the importance of not holding in feelings, like she did for so long after the incident occurred.

This program will take place at 3 p.m. in the Mansion Foyer on Tuesday, March 16.

Other events include "Security on Campus, Inc.: Assault by Fellow Students," conducted by Myra Kodner in the Mansion Seminar Room at 1 p.m. on Monday, March 15.

Also on Monday at 9:30 p.m. in the Woodcrest Lounge, there will be a discussion entitled "Date Rape: A Cabrini Experience?" This discussion will be lead by Resident assistants Beth McArdle, Janine Laskowski., Roman Gabriel and Gavin Mirigliani.

On Tuesday, March 16, the week will continue with a seminar entitled "Sexual Assault and

Substance Abuse" at 12:30 p.m. in the Mansion Seminar Room. The Women Against Rape chapter of Delaware County is sponsoring this event.

Wednesday's events include "Sexual Harassment on Campus Part II: Student Perspectives and Action Plans" from 12:30 p.m. until 1:30 p.m. in the Library Conference Room. This event will be lead by student Kelly Graham and sociology professor Janet Lohmann.

Other Wednesday events include "The Journey to Healing: A Discussion with Dr. Randy Sandler" at 2:30 p.m. in the Rooymans- Center Conference Room, and "Psychologically Speaking" on 89.l WYBF-FM at 7 p.m. with Dr. Andy King and Steve Murray talking about "The Healing Process: From Victim to

Survivor to Whole Again."

A Spiritual Healing Service will be held in honor of the week on Thursday, March 18 at 7 p.m. in the Bruckmann Memorial Chapel on campus.

Two faculty and staff events will take place during lunchtime, 12:30 p.m.-1:30 p.m., on Thursday and Friday in the Mansion Dining Hall to better educate on the topic of sexual assault.

The Thursday luncheon program is entitled "A Valued Workplace: Is Cabrini College a Hostile Environment? Issues of Sexual Assault, Rape, and Sexual Harassment" and it will focus on how faculty members can maintain a non-hostile environment for the students, according to a memo that was distributed to all faculty and staff members.

The second event, which will be held on Friday, is "A Valued Workplace: The Impact of a Hostile Environment on Students and the College Community: Issues of Sexual Assault, Rape and Sexual Harassment." This will deal with how to talk to students about rape and related issues.

Any questions regarding the week can be directed to King at ext. 8563.

To commemorate the week highlighters will be given out at all events as a reminder "to be more assertive and to speak out," according to King.

"Many people are unaware of the fact that this is the second annual Rape and Sexual Awareness week that the school has sponsored," said King. "It is important for them to know that this is not a one-time thing."