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                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, January 20, 1992                   TAG: 9201200230
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

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RE DATE RAPE, COEDS HAVE SAME PROBLEMS

I AM WRITING to clarify the image of social life at Virginia women's colleges presented in Philip Walzer's article Jan. 12.

Mr. Walzer quoted me as summarizing the typical social scenario at Washington and Lee University as women feeling "that to get the beer they have to give something in return." In my interview with Mr. Walzer, I described a specific incident rather than a general party atmosphere, as the quote may have suggested.

My resident assistant work at Hollins College has shown me that date rape is a concern among female students. However, women at both single-sex and coed schools are faced with the same problems in social situations. I did not imply that Washington and Lee University has an outstanding problem with date rape, or that students from women's colleges are singled out as victims.

Hollins women often pinpoint issues like alcohol awareness and personal safety for discussion, hoping to avoid circumstances that lead to rape. Institutions across the nation are educating their students about the dangers of irresponsible drinking and unsafe sex in an effort to improve social life for both sexes. D'ARCY M. WRITSEL HOLLINS COLLEGE

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