Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, March 23, 1990 TAG: 9003222092
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV2 EDITION: NEW RIVER
SOURCE: Neal Thompson
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
That's one of the first things Colleen Mathias tells the victims who seek counseling at the Women's Resource Center's Rape Crisis Program, which she directs.
Mathias said many rape victims feel guilty because they think they did something to provoke the crime.
"She may have made an error in judgment, but she did not ask to be raped," Mathias said. "People just don't understand that.
"Society says, `Why was she alone? Why was she out walking at night?' " Mathias said. "Well, why shouldn't she be?"
Hundreds of rape victims from all over the New River Valley seek counseling from the Rape Crisis Program. Many are Radford University and Virginia Tech students. And most of those students have been raped by boyfriends, friends or acquaintances.
The program's weekly support group meetings give victims a chance to talk with others who are experiencing similar feelings.
"We try to keep the counseling positive. It's not always easy. But when they see others feeling the same, it helps," Mathias said.
Another thing Mathias tries to teach is that rape is not about sex. Rarely does a rapist attack someone because of a spontaneous need for sex. The attacks are planned.
"Intimidation and control - that's what rape is all about," Mathias said. "It's also about anger, violence and domination. Sex is just the weapon used to control the other person."
Virginia Tech has its own counseling program called SAVES - sexual assault victims' education and support. It provides counseling and teaches students about the legal aspects of rape.
"They're really surprised sometimes to learn that when a woman says no and it proceeds from there, that can be interpreted as rape," said Bev Sgro, Tech's dean of students.
Leigh Collins, crime prevention officer with Virginia Tech Police, also runs programs on campus to teach students about rape and date rape.
"Date rape is just as much of a rape as jumping out of the bushes and grabbing someone," she said.
Collins also teaches female students how to protect themselves. The first lesson: "Don't walk alone."
At Radford University, residential assistants in the school's 19 dormitories sponsor programs on date rape and assault, said David Hill, residential life director.
They talk about what date rape is and what to do if it happens. But the emphasis is on prevention.
"It's something you have to keep making people aware of because they get lulled into a false sense of comfortableness," Hill said. "But the other side of that sharp edge is that we don't want to scare the daylights out of them."
Mathias said rape victims sometimes hate to hear that they have to be careful and can't walk at night and can't put themselves in a situation that could lead to rape.
They sometimes get rebellious and don't want to give up their rights and their freedom.
"They should be able to do what they want to do," Mathias said. "But they also have to be careful and aware."
by CNB