LAND

RAPE

CENTER

CRISIS

rape crisis

HOT LETTER

Cleveland Rape Crisis Center 3201 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland 44115 391-3912, answered 24 hours, 7 days a week

IDENTIFYING OUR VULNERABILITY

Women in sports

Girls and women get socialized right out of power-from Little League on up It's the power issue that lies beneath the surface of the argument that play. ing competitive sports with boys will somehow damage girls psychologically. (Caryl Rivers. WomenSports Magazine. Aug. 1977).

A study conducted by psychologist Dr Helen Harris Solomons of gym classes in the Pennsylvania schools showed that the girls tended to get cut out of the action by the boys in games even when the girls played better than the boys. As a result of this both skilled and un skilled girls had fewer opportunities to participate actively and, therefore, had less opportunity to develop their skills The girls who were left out on the volleyball court and on the baseball field not only lost their chance to develop their athletic abilities, but they also were beginning a process which will continue to exclude them from participating actively in male dominated areas of life. They are becoming programed to believe that there are certain things that they are incapable of doing well or at all. All of this reinforces the attitudes in both boys and girls that girls are neither as strong nor as skilled as boys in any endeavor. The lack of self esteem that results af fects every aspect of our lives

Prevention is not avoidance

A few years ago in Israel, government officials no: ticed that rape was becoming an increasing problem. A discussion insued as to what they could do about it. A suggestion was made by one offical that it would be a good idea to place a curfew or, all women so that they would be protected from the risk of being raped. Golda Meir, who was still prime minister at the time, replied to her fellow leaders that she felt that if a curfew were to be put into effect, it should be placed on the men as they were the ones who were perpetrating the crimes, and. therefore, they should be the ones who should lose their feedom to go outside at night.

This story illustrates the way crime prevention is generally approached. Women are continually told to be careful, to take precautions, not to go out at night. not to go out alone, not to talk to strangers, not to trust anyone, etc.

The entire basis of prevention of crime, and especially prevention of rape, is women's ability to obscure ourselves from the perpetrators of the crimes. It virtually becomes a game of dodge ball with the unlucky victims being told that they didn't follow the proper procedure for getting out of the way,

The true prevention of crime, however, can not be solely dependent upon our ability as potential victims to avoid it. Even though certain kinds of behavior and if safeguards help, a total belief in them can cause us, we are victimized, to believe that it was our fault for not being defensive enough. This reaction is especially common when the crime is rape. The real prevention of rape ultimately comes from educating all people and changing our socialization so that one segment of the population is no longer set up to be victims and another to be assailants. Rape can only be stopped when all people accept responsibility for its existence. We are all a part of the problem and we must, therefore, all be a part of the solution

.....and in offices

It is ironic in view of the structure of our society that virtually every office is arranged in such a way that a lone woman or several women are the first persons encountered when entering the front door. Often the criteria for the selection of the wornen to sit in this posi tion are that they be attractive and "feminine" (i.e. weak and non-aggressive). They are, in effect, guarding the male managers, administrators, and executives who are tucked securely in the back One of the primary tasks of these women is to shelter or to provide a buffer zone between the outside world and the inner sanctum of the executive suite. Administrators often have their own private restrooms within their offices. They will never directly receive telephone calls and certainly would not subject themselves to the dangers and an noyances of being faced with anyone who might happen to walk through the door of the office. This is not to suggest that businesses could necessarily be run any more efficiently if the boss and the secretary or the receptionist were to change places. though this is a possibility that cannot be overlooked Nor can assume that men are immune to crime. But it is definitely a plea for a more safe and reasonable arrangement of offices in which the Interests and safety of the female employees are also taken into account

QFor what crime

is the punishment rape ?

Afor the quuma of being baru

WZIDOVE

we

Some thoughts about power

It's my impression that few persons reading this paper have any argument with the fact that there is a need for women to work towards certain basic changes in our society. The importance of women having a history, strong role models, reproductive freedom and equality in practice, as well as under the law, is probably not an issue in question in these pages. I recognise that dif ferent women have different means of achieving these same goals and I find that diversity of approach a healthy sign that we will use all channels available to us to get where we want to be. With those assumptions in mind, I would like to share my views about the use, and abuse, of power.

In our work to improve the status and condition of women, many of us have recognized the need to develop new structural forms for the division of power and responsibility. As a result of this recognition, many

new women's groups are operating as collectives Some of those which don't use that form do at least acknowledge the need to create an alternative hierar chal structure The development of these new, and ad mittedly experimental, models is difficult as there are no positive role models from which to draw out ideas What we do have are negative role models, so at the very least. we know what we don't want While the models and structures may well vary from group to group-the commonality that they share is the absolute requirement of being able to work together in a non threatening and sharing way

·

As women, we are accustomed to being powerless. so our first experience of having power can be a very heady one. That experience and its dangers have revealed themselves in every social movement In history so it's no real surprise to see it happening in the women's movement. It is a disappointment, however. because it can totally undermine all of the combined and/or separate work that has been accomplished so far

We need to learn to overcome the mentality of trying to dominate and control one another It's my ex perience that all hurnan relationships, as well as political situations. boil down to the dynarnic of CONTROL This is certainly the method used by the male power structure which we are saying we are working to change In our efforts to create change, we can't let ourselves fall into the same patterns of behavior as our oppressors We need to recognize this destructive very use of power

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We can't afford to let our personal egoism stand in the way of creating solutions to problems. It's important that we help each other in our efforts to avoid this kind of behavior We have to openly recognize that as women, we all share the same kinds of insecurities Al that point, we can go on to offer mutual support each other's efforts Rather than feeling threatened by one another's success. we should look at them a5 achievements for and by all of us we have all made our contributions. The leadership position succeeds on ly with the help of the organization around if So that those women who do choose to be leaders cannot close themselves off to the others around them in the false assumption they can still maintain their power By the same token, we cannot use the traditional methods of stepping on each others heads in order to reach a posi tion of power Once again, this is a negative use of

power

The realization that there is so much work to be done and there is enough room for as many women to assume leadership roles as are willing and able to do so. is a significant one. This also means we don't have the time or energy to divert ourselves from our goals by par ticipating in internal power struggles If we are going to succeed at all, it will be only in an atmosphere of mutual support and respect. trust and openness

-Jeanne Von Atta 4

MEETINGS

November 13, Sunday

Annual Meeting of the entire staff and board of trustees

November 18, Friday

All Center Meeting

The Feminist Theatre Collective will present two short plays: All My Sisters and Do Not Assume, 7:30pm.

November, 1977/What She Wants/page 11