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20 Leaders of Tomorrow! APRIL/MAY 1998 MBC Wolverine OBSERVER
VIEWS-EXPRESSIONS
by Monique L. Jennings
/ f you’re a first-time college or
university student, you’re
probably looking forward to
the newfound freedom you’ll
encounter as you head off to school.
The new social scene at colleges or
universities may also include sexual
relationships. But for many young
women (and some men), what begins
as a friendship or casual date may
lead to a horrifying experience.
Being pushed into unwanted sexual
acts by someone you know is called
acquaintance rape.
Accepting a date doesn’t man
accepting sex. If someone is making
you uncomfortable, just say “No”. In
college, age, social factors and
isolation all come together to make it
quite risky for women. If you’re
coming from a small town into a
large city to attend school, you may
feel particularly vulnerable. If
you’re experimenting with sexual
relationships for the first time, you
may be unsure about your role. Stop
and think about what you are doing
before engaging in sexual activities.
Don’t experiment with some
thing you can’t handle. The most
important thing for women to
remember is to go with your
instincts rather than giving in to
what you think other’s want, or
what is “cool.” Date rape is
particularly difficult to guard
against because it involves some
one you know, and often trust.
Most women are taught to defend
themselves against attacks from
strangers, but don’t necessarily
recognize when someone they know
is being abusive.
Some women are raped because of
the clothing they were wearing, but
that does not give a man the right to
rape a woman. According to a study
from the Association of American
Colleges, “Women may accept male
sexual aggression as natural.” This
is one reason why acquaintance rape
is underreported.
According to another study from
the Association of American
Colleges, “Men are taught early that
they should be aggressive.” This
aggression makes its way into some
men’s sexual relationships. Most
women don’t know what constitutes
a date rape.
What can you do if you are a victim
of rape? The Association of
American Colleges recommendation
is to go somewhere where you feel
safe. It is best to find someone you
trust: your roommate, a friend, or
your residence director or floor
senior. Sometimes calling home is
the most comfortable option. If
you’re uncomfortable talking with
someone you know, many cities have
sexual assault crisis hotlines that
offer counseling and support.
If you have been injured, you may
want to go to the hospital or clinic.
Crisis centers or sexual assault
workers can help you find medical
care, including testing for sexually
transmitted diseases (STDs).
According to studies done by the
Association of American Colleges,
“Women can recover from rape by
reading books about sexual assault
to help regain some of the control
that was lost when while being
raped.”
What is Dating Violence?
According to a study by the Na
tional Clearinghouse on Family Vio
lence, “dating violence is the sexual,
physical or emotional abuse of one
partner by the other in a dating rela
tionship where the couple is not liv
ing together. Sexual Abuse may in
volve sexual relations without con
sent, unwanted sexual touching, or
being forced to engage in sexual
activity.”
PHYSICAL ABUSE may involve
punching, kicking, slapping,
pushing, choking, biting, hair pulling
or striking with an object.
EMOTIONAL ABUSE may in
volve intimidating, terrorizing,
threatening, insulting, and pressur
ing an individual.
HOW WIDE SPREAD IS THE
PROBLEM?
A few research studies have been
conducted among high school and
college students. A survey done by
the National Institute of Mental
Health in the United States esti
mated more than one million sexual
assaults against teenagers every
year. The survey noted that the ac
tual incidence of assaults was proba
bly much higher because many teen
agers do not report the attacks.
Facts to consider about date
rate:
▼ Date rape has the lowest re
porting rate of all forms of rape.
It is estimated that only 1% of
date rapes are reported to the
authorities.
T Victims of sexual assault are
much more likely to report the
crime to the police when it is
perpetrated by a stranger than
when it is committed by an ac
quaintance, friend, or partner.
▼ Date rape does not fit the
stranger-in-the-dark-alley
stereotype.
If You've Got What It Takes
To Be A Leader In Our Company,
This Could Be Your Office.
Not just anyone can be responsible for territory
like this. Then again, not just anyone can be one
of us. But if you're exceptionally smart, tough
and determined, then Officer Candidates School
(OCS) will be the place you can prove whether or
not you're a leader of Marines. It's a career that's
filled with unlimited opportunities, pride and
honor. If you want a career that's a world apart
from the ordinary, see if you've got what it
ne hw. The Pmud. The Mannes. takes to lead in this company.
Marines
Break away from the pack! Come and learn about a different way to invest
in yourself and in your future while in college or afterwards!
See Captain Corey Thomas at the Marine Officer Programs table
or phone (770) 246-9432/36. Don’t miss out!
WilthB
World End
in the
Year 2028?
by Vonda C. Echols
a re we safe from the asteroid
that were predicted to hit
the earth in the year of 2028.
Will the new prediction stay true?
Or will it change?
A group of scientist said that a
large asteroid will hit earth in the
year 2028, but a day after the group
of astronomers predicted that
possibility, NASA said “It isn’t going
to happen.” NASA has redone the
maps and checked there telescopic
pictures and concluded that the
giant rock (asteroid) will miss the
Earth by 600 thousands miles,
and we are safe from the massive
damage that would have come
from the large asteroid.
Dr. Brian Marsden of Harvard,
was one of the astronomers to sound
the alert. Dr. Marsden said “clearly
600 thousands miles is the distance,
everybody calculated that same
thing. Just as everybody calculated
CONTINUED
ESTABLISHED 1935
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PUBLISHER
Morris Brown College
ADVISOR/MANAGING EDITOR
Carvel Bennett
(Director of Student Activities &
Student Publications)
CONSULTANT
Johnnie B Bates, Jr.
(Bates & Bates identity
Development & Graphics)
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Miquiel Banks
BUSINESS MANAGER
James Potter III
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
Gerthy Samedi
SPORTS EDITOR
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Sean Gardner
(Clark Atlanta University)
J. Willis Barnett
Ayani Free
Student Government Association
Denise Smith-Moore
Nzogi Bruno Felipe
Carvel Bennett
Mausiki Scales
Dakeer Farrar
Wole Ralph
Dr. Robert D. Bullard
Na’im Akbar
Hope Mitchell
PHOTOGRAPHER
Spurgeon Dennis, Jr
ALL CONTENTS COPYRIGHT
MORRIS BROWN COLLEGE 1998