Letters Defend Rape Crisis Center vol. 10, no. 6:

To the Editors of What She Wants:

The article "Turmoil at Rape Crisis Center," in the October-November issue of What She Wants probably needed to be written. The voices of staff and volunteer advocates probably needed to be heard. ⚫in the public, forum that this newspaper serves. The issues of communication and organizational structure probably needed to be examined some time ago. And, the pleas for higher participation by feminists and increased coordination of all of the essential functions of the Center in order to enhance its commitment to women, are probably pleas that needed to be heard, and responded to some time ago. However, while I strive to maintain a positive attitude about the article, I must fight against my disappointment as a result of its one-sided perspective and its lack of complete and up-to-date information. I must wonder who is served by this and how many rape survivors benefit from a public airing of the internal functioning of the Center. And who will benefit from the potential funding crisis this article may engender?

As the former Executive Director of the Akron Rape Crisis Center and presently as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center, I have experienced. from both perspectives the anguish of attempting to administer a too small, underfunded agency, and, at the same time, minister ⚫ to underpaid staff, underappreciated volunteers, wounded clients, and misunderstood Board members. Who nurtures whom and who gets to go first seems to be the most oft-repeated unspoken question. How can we nurture and support one another when the perpetrator/victim/rescuer model becomes not only the one we use professionally but the one we use with each other as well? We violate one another in the same way we are demanding not to be violated by others. Those of us who have been assigned the perpetrator role are not comfortable with it and I, for one who has worked tirelessly to en-

Editor, What She Wants:

I have read your article, "Turmoil at Rape Crisis Center," and I must express my surprise and dismay that your publication would print such an irresponsible piece.

There is no "turmoil" at the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center. There is no "chaos". There has been no "decrease(d) direct service aspect". Services have been available to everyone who sought them, thanks to the hard work of two members of the staff (and more recently two new members of the staff), as well as the volunteers and the board.

Allegations of racism, homophobia and misuse of funds have been made against some members." The persons who made those "allegations" did so for personal reasons. They were made with malice, and in direct contradiction to the facts. The two people who cited "misuse of funds" knew when they did so that there never was any misuse of any funds and that has since been confirmed by audit. The persons who alleged "racism and homophobia" could not point to any instances. I have been working at the Center for two years (which is longer than either of the two who specified "racism and homophobia"), and I certainly have never seen examples of either.

The grievants submitted some genuine grievances, all of which could have been resolved easily if there had been mutual trust, good faith, and honest determination to resolve the problems. Obviously those requirements were lacking.

Your article contains other erroneous statements. For example, you quote the former Justice System

courage due process, discourage punitive action, and facilitate the hiring of a consultant, would like to break out of my pigeonhole in order to realize my potential as the full human member of the Center that I believe myself to be.

We need to stop. We need to stop beating up on each other, pointing fingers of blame, and making negativity the focus of our energy. Neither winners nor losers gain anything from this futile struggle of trying to determine who is right and who is wrong. Issues of racism, power, and discomfort with same-

letters

sex love and intimacy are neither caused by the Center nor unique to it.

We need to start. We need to start acknowledging, honoring, and celebrating our differences, while at the same time, recognizing the common goals and values that exist within, and, in spite of, or diversity. It is only in this way that we can see, hear, use, and appreciate the skills and resources each of us brings

Education Coordinator as saying: "The one and only black woman asked to sit on the Committee (the Grievance Committee, that is). . ." That makes it seem that a committee was formed just to hear the particular grievances and that "one and only black woman" was asked to hear these particular grievances. Actually, the Grievance Committee, like all of the standing committees, was formed at the beginning of the new board's year; and members were chosen for all of the committees then, according to the preferences they themselves expressed.

The second half of the same sentence is incorrect: "didn't learn about the meeting that was to decide the fate of each one of us, supposedly because the notice was sent to the wrong address". There were three meetings of the Grievance Committee (of which I was a member). No notices were sent to any addresses.of any of the members. The first meeting was set up through phone calls (and the "one and only black woman" attended), At the end of the first meeting, the time, date and location of the next meeting were agreed upon; and at the end of the second meeting (which the black woman attended), the time, date and location of the third and final meeting (which she did not attend) were agreed upon. We don't know why she didn't attend the third and final meeting-it certainly was not because "the notice was sent to the wrong address". This statement by the former Justice System Coordinator is an obvious

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to the Center and to the larger women's community. It is only in this way that we will enable and empower ourselves to work collaboratively as peers on the unsolicited mission of the Center that has been given to us against our will. Our voices and the voice of the nightingale will be heard but only after we learn to hear each other. -Fern R. Levy

Dear What She Wants,

I was sorry to see the article in your last issue about the Rape Crisis Center. I'm sorry the conflict is happening and I'm sorry. you succumbed to the pressure of an angry woman who would rather try to destroy the CRCC than let it continue on without her. Whatever complaints people have about each other at the Rape Crisis Center, they do not merit the destruction of the organization.

Anger is an occupational hazard at CRCC. It can be a very destructive force when it has no appropriate outlets. This kind of conflict has happened there before. At that time it was blamed on the fact that we had a collective structure among the paid staff. Now I see the argument is that it is happening because there is not a collective.

In fact it is happening because there are a lot of women, underpaid or not paid at all, listening to incredibly violent stories which never end. The only conceivable reaction to that pain, inequity and frustration is anger. The tragedy of it is that after many layers of anger fail to find an appropriate expression they are directed at the closest target. It has happened before and it will happen again unless some time can be taken out from counseling to develop safeguards and a support system for the people who provide the service.

Let's not perpetuate the chain of anger, let's offer some support, respect and love. Let's offer resources and encouragement to a place that so desperately needs it. Let's not continue conflict that will destroy what we have worked so hard to build. Let's listen to Holly Near: "I don't want to fight anymore": -Jeanne Van Atta

News

CONTENTS

National

Women Win on State Levels......

Women Managers Hit by Unemployment.....2 AMA Impedes Midwives...

Local

GEAR Faces Financial Crisis....

1982 Women's Ordination Conference........2 Women's Wholistic Center......

Features

Women in the Peace Movement..

A Housewife Joins the Freeze Campaign......7 Find It Fastest..... Letters....... Reviews.. What's Happening........... Classifieds.......

..back.cover

1 8-9 ...16-19

........... 19

Cover Graphic by Suzanne Britt

December, 1982/What She Wants/Page 1.