The SAPAC Voice

"Be Careful"

2011-12-16T13:36:00.001-05:00

I've been thinking a lot this semester about advice I get from concerned friends and relatives, especially after the string of assaults this past summer. I got a can of pepper spray and a whistle from my aunt, and countless people warn me against walking home alone. I think I can safely say that nearly every college-aged woman hears this kind of thing (along with "don't drink too much,""watch what you wear," etc). I get it. This advice is nothing but well-intentioned. It's coming from a place of love and concern, and I appreciate the sentiment. I really do. But what I don't appreciate is how this advice is part of our culture that nearly always teaches "don't get raped" instead of "don't rape."

A commenter on the blog Jezebel posted the following in response to a story about an awesome campaign in the UK to finally send out the message "don't rape." This was in response to the comment by adventure!: "This is highly refreshing in a sea of 'don't wear that sort of clothing, don't get drunk, don't flirt with dudes, don't walk alone, close your windows at night, wear a chastity belt, carry a gun with you everywhere you go, live in a plastic bubble, etc.'" BIP_Roberts' comment really sums up my feelings about why this kind of advice is problematic.

BIP_Roberts posts:

I agree with you 1000%, so don't misconstrue anything I say following

The problem with that kind of advice isn't that it's not somewhat legitimate, it's that a)it mischaracterizes the more common occurances of rape, and b) it's presentation as a public service highlights the victim-blaming portion of the advice.

One, this kind of advice is stranger-rape-centric and stranger-rape is far less common than non-stranger-rape.

But, the victim-blaming aspect of that kind of advice is kind of based on a false dichotomy. In essence and intent, such advice is really just saying "be careful." It's saying you can do things to help minimize the likelihood that you are victimized. Let's take this out of the rape realm for a second to a less loaded analogy. If I told my new hip hop superstar buddy, hey, it might not be a good idea to wear that $60K to the projects, I'm not sure people would leap out of their seats in outrage.

It does not unilaterally follow that because you can do things to minimize the likelihood of you being victimized, if you do get victimized it is because you failed to sufficiently guard against that.

The fact that people are so sensitive to the victim-blaming undertone of this advice is due to the larger victim-blaming culture that surrounds rape in general. There are other analogous pieces of advice that aren't called out as victim blaming (don't flash your jewelry in the hood, eat right and exercise to prevent a heart attack) not because analogous advice isn't given, but because there isn't as strong a culture of victim blaming around these issues in general.

I guess my argument is that if people really took rape as seriously as it need be taken and address rape culture head on, reminders to "be careful" wouldn't carry so much baggage. ...This is just a symptom of the larger disease.

I certainly agree with everything BIP_Roberts says, but I would add another point. For me, hearing this kind of advice is just a constant reminder that I, as a woman (and especially as a young woman in college), am likely to be attacked. Not more likely than not, but it is far from a vanishing chance. Our culture that accepts rape, excuses its perpetrators and blames its survivors victimizes women in many ways. We are attacked, we are forced to live our lives with caution and fear, and then we are constantly reminded by those around us that we should be afraid. As a SAPAC volunteer, I am part of the movement to change the big ones, but as an individual the least I can do is change the latter. I would rather my family and friends not constantly remind me to be afraid, remind me that I am not safe and remind me that those around me have been victimized.

So, thank you for caring about me enough to want me safe. It's wonderful to be so loved, but please stop the advice like this.

-Emily, NPA Volunteer.

Why Rape Jokes Need to Stop

2011-12-02T14:42:00.000-05:00

Around finals time here at U of M, you tend to hear a lot of rape jokes in the form of "that exam raped me," or "I raped that exam." To some people, saying things like that is No Big Deal. They don't really mean it. It's just a joke. But I'm not laughing, and neither are survivors. A "Words Matter" campaign by U of M's Expect Respect has signs up around campus that say "I was raped, and it was nothing like your Stats exam" in addition to posters about the word "gay," "ghetto" and other hurtful statements that we hear all too often.

We can explain how hearing these statements can be triggering to survivors, how they feed into a culture that minimizes and even condones rape. And we should. But there are other reasons to stop rape jokes. This blog post outlines another, very important reason to stop rape jokes. Psychological evidence shows that rapists tend to think other men are rapists, and when rape jokes go uncontested or are laughed at, this reaffirms their belief that what they are doing is normal and accepted, rather than a horrific and violent crime.

So please, don't make rape jokes and don't let them stand when you hear it.

-Emily, NPA Volunteer.

Bias in New York Times Article

2011-10-11T16:33:00.000-04:00

“Wife Who Fired 11 Shots is Acquitted of Murder”, a New York Times article published on its website on October 6, discusses the result of the trial of Barbara Sheehan, a woman from Queens, New York. Although the article seems to portray a neutral opinion on the case, a second look at it more carefully leads me to recognize the article’s dramatization of Ms. Sheehan’s defensive action, and also the article’s implicit focus on Ms. Sheehan as a criminal.

First of all the title of the article says it all. If the writers of the article were trying to be more sensitive to the situation, why didn’t they call it, “Survivor of Intimate Partner Violence is Acquitted of Murder.” Also, the article refers to the husband as the “slain husband” at one point. Although, “slain” is often used in journalism, when one thinks of the verb to slay, it’s referring to a violent way of killing. Why is this woman suddenly highlighted as the violent one in the situation, when it obviously is much more complicated than that?

The article mentions disbelief of her true personality as one of the arguments in the case against her, and the word ‘compromise’ is used when discussing her final verdict. Also, the authors of the article choose to include an idea presented by Richard A. Browan, the Queens district attorney, who, “said the case was a cautionary tale that those claiming domestic abuse should not take the law into their own hands,” which implies by its use that the authors are framing Ms. Sheehan to be at utmost fault. With these components, the authors put most of the blame on Ms. Sheehan and fail to take into account any barriers that might have prevented Ms. Sheehan from acting otherwise.

The article overall frames Ms. Sheehan in a negative way, leading me to believe that someone who might not look at this article critically would assume that Ms. Sheehan was "let off easy". I also can't imagine what her kids might think if they read this article. It is horrible to see the media- especially a prominent component of it, such as the New York Times- implicitly support the argument against a survivor. This is just a friendly reminder to carefully read how news articles choose to describe their subject, taking time to recognize their often inaccurate and exaggerated portrayals of survivors.

Here's the link to the article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/07/nyregion/barbara-sheehan-who-killed-husband-is-found-not-guilty-of-murder.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&sq=domestic%20violence&st=cse&scp=5

-Lindsay

NPA Volunteer

Possible serial rapist label for assaults on campus

2011-07-20T15:10:00.000-04:00

Just passing along this article by Ann Arbor's online newspaper about the sexual assaults in Ann Arbor lately. Mostly, it's pretty good, with a shout-out to our very own Holly Rider-Milkovich, but I'd like to set one thing straight. These women are not "alleged rape victims." The suspects are alleged rapists. Would you EVER say "alleged burglary victim?" These women have been assaulted, full stop. We just don't know who did it. The rates of false statements in rape cases are the same as any other violent crime. There are not women who go around screaming that they've been raped when they haven't, and it sickens me to see phrases like that in our newspaper. I'd like to ask all of you write in to the editor at letters@annarbor.com expressing your disappointment with this language, or to the author herself at heidifenton@annarbor.com.

Hat tip to fellow SAPAC member Kara Marsh for letting me know about this article.
--Briana

Sexual Assaults on U of M's campus

2011-07-19T21:56:00.001-04:00

In the past week, there have been three sexual assaults on campus. While we know that most of campus shuts down during the summer, those of us here at SAPAC are available whenever you need us. If you've been assaulted, now or at any other time, please feel free to come in or call our 24/7 hotline and take advantage of our support. Though the blog has been slightly inactive (despite my protestations to the contrary), trained staff are always here to help you in any way you require.

For everyone else, please be aware of your surroundings. I'm not just talking about the common things like not walking alone, etc, but instead keep an eye out for anyone who needs your help. We put all the onus on the victims of crimes, but never mention how many people could have stepped in or, at the very least, called for help. If you see a freshman here for orientation wandering around looking lost, please just ask if they need anything. The worst that could happen is that they say they're fine, am I right?

I'm personally highly disturbed because the first assault happened right across the street from my apartment. I can see the spot from my bedroom window. I wish that I had known what was happening, so that I could have been a proactive bystander, just like I'm asking you to do.

Stop by our offices sometime.
--Briana

So long, SAPAC Seniors!

2011-05-01T13:34:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, 20 SAPAC volunteers graduated from the University of Michigan.

These seniors are:

Catherine Martin, MA Co-Coordinator
Mark Navarro, MA Co-Coordinator
Crosby Modrowski, NPA Co-Coordinator
Stephanie Rau, NPA Co-Coordinator
Amalia Miralrio, PE Co-Coordinator

Erin Donker, PE Volunteer
Valencia Lyle, PE Volunteer
Hillary McLaren, PE Volunteer
Lilly O'Brien-Kavari, PE Volunteer
Kristin Reiter, PE Volunteer
Kyra Stefin, PE Volunteer

Michelle Loubert, MA Volunteer
Sohani Patel, MA Volunteer
Shelly Sahi, MA Volunteer
Shaziah Singh, MA Volunteer
Lisa Weichman, MA Volunteer
Bowei Zhao, MA Volunteer

Laura Campion, NPA Volunteer
Autumn Poisson, NPA Volunteer
Karen Wullaert, NPA Volunteer

We are so sad to see you go, but we are so excited to see how you change the world! Thanks again for influencing this campus and being amazing activists!

We'll miss you all!

Should we shut down fraternities?

2011-04-26T10:14:00.000-04:00

Chloe Angyal over at Feministing just wrote an article about Caitlin Flanagan's piece (warning for date rape) over at the Wall Street Journal on why we should shutter fraternities for the good of young women. Caitlin Flanagan has a couple of good points-- she talks about a girl who was drugged and gang raped, and the Yale debacle of Delta Kappa Epsilon's "No means yes, yes means anal" that has led to a court case against the university. However, as Chloe says, it's not just about fraternities:

Yes, date rape happens at frat houses. It also happens at marching band parties, and at crew training camp, and in ROTC barracks and at chess club away meets. This is not to minimize what happens in frat houses or to tell women who have suffered sexual violence there that their experiences don’t matter. It is simply to say that sexual assault happens all over college campuses. And that’s what we need to change.

It's absolutely true that the atmosphere of fraternities is likely to lead to rape-- when you have a lot of guys trying to prove their masculinity, in a house that doesn't just encourage drinking, it requires it, and a lot of young women being plied with alcohol, you're going to have a higher incidence of rape. But you can't just say to close the fraternities and all these women will be safe. Until you get rid of the atmosphere on the entire campus, you're going to have people raping others.

Furthermore, Chloe discusses the problem fraternities often have with the men involved, too. On our own campus, Sigma Alpha Epsilon was just shuttered in response to hazing allegations-- among other things, pledges were beaten with broomsticks, forced to drink regurgitated water with goldfish in it (why did this come back? I thought that frats torturing goldfish died in the 60s!), and pay for strippers, which to me is sexual harassment. Not only did University of Michigan ban it, as UM has no respect for Greek houses that haze, but the national branch of Sig A E has disbanded the local branch for a year as well. It's irresponsible to look at these problems and see only the women hurt by it, though the numbers are overwhelming. Something nobody seems to understand about feminism is that we don't want women to be better than men--we want the patriarchy dissolved because patriarchy hurts men too. For more information on this, I highly recommend Keith Edwards-- he came to speak at UM and I loved every second of his lecture.

Finally, I don't think frats have to be bad. Beta house recently came back to UM's campus after being banned, but it's distinctly trying to change. It's a dry house, and the president is making all of the members attend SAPAC training and genuinely attempting to make his house safe for everyone involved. How is dissolving fraternities better than that? Additionally, I think that, in the right hands, fraternities can create a sense of community among young men that is essential for building a better environment for everyone. We don't have to get rid of fraternities, but we need to get rid of the dangerous atmosphere that is destructive to young men and women alike.

Briana

So sorry about the hiatus!

2011-04-22T11:32:00.000-04:00

Readers, I am so sorry about the lack of posts. We are all students at the University of Michigan, as you might have guessed, and holy shit it is exam time. I personally had a Spanish exam at eight this morning (no me gusta!), and we are all 3/4 dead and thus have been slacking on the blog. We haven't stopped keeping up on the news or working at the offices, but we've unfortunately let this fall by the wayside. Dear readers, we are so apologetic for this, but hopefully many of you know what it is like to be hopped up on caffeine in your econ test (by the way, bring a travel mug to Starbucks today for free coffee) or having friends throw things at you in the library to wake you back up to study for that evil organic chemistry exam. Please forgive us! Also, most of us will be leaving Ann Arbor for the summer for a number of places, among them Kentucky, Costa Rica, Washington D.C., France, and many more. I personally am staying in Ann Arbor for summer classes and work, so I will be trying my best to keep updating the blog.

Please don't lose faith in us, darlings!
Love, Briana

Eman al-Obeidy: Libyan rape survivor or Libyan whore?

2011-04-08T14:17:00.000-04:00

I recently came across articles discussing an alleged rape that occurred in Libya.

Eman al-Obeidy went to the press in a local hotel to try to tell her story of Libyan

soldiers capturing her, raping her, and torturing her.  As she tried to tell her story

she was taken away by police.  After this encounter there has been an interesting

reaction from the media in how they have covered the incident.  In Libya they are

show casing how not to support survivors and also victim blaming at its worst, by

calling Eman a whore, prostitute, and many other derogatory names making the rape seem

as though it is her fault.  Something I find interesting here though is that 98% of

rape accusations are true, the same as any other violent crime.  So why do people think

Eman is being treated as lair? Also, this story also brings to mind for me how one

should handle disclosures, and for SAPAC we use the approach BSR: believe, support,

refer. Which none of these are happening with this case.  What do people think about

this?

Here is another article I found if you would like more information: link

Necto Party Flyer

2011-04-05T20:59:00.001-04:00

As I was walking up the stairs of Dennison to Biology discussion today, I could not help but stop when I saw a flyer for a Stoplight Party being held at Necto on Thursday. Each floor had a different color flyer (either red, yellow, or green) and a little witty phrase to go along with the specific color. When I got to the third floor, I had to take my phone out and get a picture.

Gggrrreeeaaatttt. So basically, regardless of whether or not someone wants to be touched, it is completely okay because "we won't tell." Isn't this the definition of sexual assault? I am not sure if I am more disappointed in the makers of the flyer or the fact that these can be hung up around campus and most people do not even think twice.

-Lauren, NPA Volunteer

"Hostile Sexual Environment" at Yale University

2011-04-03T16:04:00.000-04:00

A group of 16 Yale students and alumni feel that there has been a significant increase in the amount of negative sexual activity on campus in the past few years that has resulted in a "hostile sexual environment" at Yale. Some of the most prominent examples of this negative sexual activity include the case of the Delta Kappa Epsilon brothers. As I'm sure many of you have heard, back in October of 2010 DKE pledges went around campus singing, "No means yes! Yes means anal!" Another related case occurred in January of 2008 when Zeta Psi pledges stood in front of the Yale Women's Center with posters that read, "We love Yale sluts." While not all incidents have revolved around the misconduct of fraternities, they seem to be the ones that have received the most public attention. Many feel that the university has not taken these events seriously and that nothing has been done to enforce a change in this behavior. As a result, on March 31, 2011, these students voiced their complaints to the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights. The OCR is now going to launch an investigation of Yale University for this hostile sexual environment that is in violation of Title IX.

Seeing as I am not an actual student at this university, I think it's hard to understand exactly what this "hostile sexual environment" feels like for the typical student. However, I can't imagine that being a female on this type of campus would be easy. I find it extremely shocking that a university, especially one as prestigious as Yale, would wait until a suit is filed against them before taking serious action on this issue. It makes me wonder what they were waiting for... did there have to be a certain number of these cases? Did the cases actually have to include some type of physical contact to warrant concern?

Also, why is that these fraternities thought that this was acceptable? Given that the brothers made their pledges say these statements, it is clear that they have some idea as to how inappropriate it was because pledges are always asked to do things that the other members would not want to do. However, why did they not realize that these statements were not just somewhat wrong, but completely wrong?

A link to the article can be found at http://jezebel.com/#!5787805/title-ix-suit-filed-against-yale-university-for-hostile-sexual-environment

Elizabeth O'Donnell
NPA volunteer

Video Game Adds to Rape Culture

2011-03-27T11:42:00.000-04:00

A game entitled “Duke Nukem Forever” is scheduled to come out in June after a long history of having a delayed release. Previously, it had a delayed release due to technical reasons, but now, its release needs to be prevented for the sake of women and humanity.

The trailer for the game (which, first of all, shows how absolutely ridiculous the game will be) shows the main plot of the game which is to war against the enemy for taking women, with an added note, “why do they always take the hot ones?”

There is a petition on change.org to prevent WalMart from selling the game in its stores. The author of the description notes that the game also involves an alternative idea to “capture the flag”, in the form of “capture the babe.” This involves capturing a woman, throwing her over the shoulder, and spanking her if she refuses to cooperate.

This reminds me of the legend of the Roman soldiers capturing and raping the Sabine women in order to force them into starting a family. This legend was often depicted in art, where Roman soldiers can be seen carrying of the Sabine women over their shoulder. This game seems to be reverting back that same, outdated and obviously wrong idea, where women, according to the law at that time, were still seen as the property of their father.

This game needs to be prevented from being sold in stores. Some may argue that the game is fictional and is meant for comedic purposes, but without a doubt, this game promotes violence against women and adds to rape culture. I am so tired of women being objectified, seen as property, and moreover, being at the center of a joke which promotes violence.

Here is the link to the petition on change.org: http://www.change.org/petitions/tell-walmart-dont-sell-duke-nukem-forever-with-babe-slapping-mode#?opt_new=f&opt_fb=t

The game is also discussed on Jezebel: http://jezebel.com/#!5785846/video-game-lets-players-slap-women

Here is the link to the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-b78TKZIyw

*Be prepared to lose brain cells if you decide to watch the trailer.

-Lindsay, NPA Volunteer

Would we ever say "The Alleged Mugging Incident" ???

2011-03-22T12:01:00.001-04:00

Although I do not personally follow celebrity gossip websites, Jezebel posted about a domestic violence case going on with Lindsay Lohan's father, Michael Lohan. I clicked on the original link to just see what it was all about and as soon as I got done with the first sentence, I was already frustrated with the article.

"Law enforcement sources tell us ... Lohan's girlfriend filed a report with the L.A. County Sheriff's Department between 9:30 and 10:00 PM tonight ... claiming they got into an argument that turned physical ... and she had some visible marking from the alleged incident. "

"The ALLEGED incident."

I just cannot help but being irritated by this language because gendered violence is the only type of violence where it would be acceptable to write a story like this. If a man were mugged in a parking lot we would never say, "He had visible injuries from the alleged mugging." We would not think twice about the validity of a mugging incident, yet society first doubts incidents of domestic violence before it believes them.

The language in this article shows how much work still needs to be done to break down the stigma of survivors and gendered violence. The media continues to play a crucial role in the movement and we must continue to critic even the way stories are presented.

-Lauren, NPA Volunteer

Presented without comment

2011-03-20T16:42:00.000-04:00

Because I just can't think of anything to say to the fact that this is for girls between 7-14.

--Briana

More joy coming out of H.R. 3

2011-03-20T11:35:00.000-04:00

Anybody remember H.R. 3, the "No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act?" Most people forgot about it after the "forcible rape" language was taken out (to be perfectly honest, it kind of dropped off of my radar as well). This past Wednesday, Thomas Barthold, the chief of staff of the nonpartisan Joint Tax Committee, explained to the House taxation subcommittee, that if H.R. 3 was passed, women would be unable to use tax benefits such as credits or deductions to pay for their abortions. If a woman did so, and was subsequently audited, she would have to prove to an IRS agent that she had been raped, was a survivor of incest, had aborted to save her life, or that her insurance does not cover abortions. I know that the IRS likes to dig in our lives (I was once encouraged to save my doughnut receipt in case I got audited), but now they're in charge of investigating our sexual assaults?

The thing that really scares me is this: "The bill contains no instructions for how the IRS should enforce it. The wording of the legislation is so vague that the Joint Tax Committee offered several different interpretations of which parts of the tax code it might actually affect. But the law will unquestionably affect some portion of the tax code—an entire section of the bill is titled 'Prohibition on Tax Benefits Relating to Abortion.'" No instructions. When people are told to enforce, but not how or why, constituents get abused. Full stop. I'm terrified to see what happens.

Read the full article at Mother Jones, and when you stop vomiting, go to Hell Yes Happy Dogs. Just a bunch of happy dogs to clear your palate.

Love, Briana

National Young Feminist Conference

2011-03-20T08:26:00.000-04:00

Last week, 6 volunteers from SAPAC drove out to Washington, D.C and attended the National Young Feminist Leadership Conference. The weekend was full of amazing, feminist speakers all dedicated to creating a world free of sexist oppression. Over 500 women AND men spent the weekend dedicated to taking their activism a step further. The conference was encouraging and energizing and all 6 of us are so excited about our work at SAPAC! Here are a few words from all of us about our experiences:

Who says feminism is just for women? I certainly don’t, and neither do the men that were at the National Young Feminist Leadership Conference in Washington D.C. As a member of the Men’s Activism Program of SAPAC, it was encouraging to see the men at the conference speaking out against injustice against women. There seems to be a stigma attached to men being involved in the movement to end sexual assault, but the conference proved just how necessary men are as our allies. In our regional caucuses, one participant argued that men participating in programs such as Take Back the Night walks should not do so, as more women are survivors of sexual assault. While this is true, it is important to remember that ten percent of survivors are males, and that many males serve as supporters and allies to survivors. Myself and other participants in the caucus made this known, and a discussion about men in the movement ensued. Many other schools have programs similar to the Men’s Activism Program, which means that men all over the country are standing up, stepping in, and speaking out. So, to all of you male feminists and activists reading, know that your contribution to the movement is both represented and respected. Feminism truly can be for everyone.

-Judith Zatkin, MA Volunteer

Upon attending the National Young Feminist Leadership Conference in Washington D.C., I was given the opportunity to listen to some of the most influential women in our country speak about some of the most pressing issues emerging on the feminist horizon. However, what struck me the most were the words of a student involved in her campus's equivalent of SAPAC. She spoke about how far behind her campus's sexual assault policies were, and how resistant their administration was to change, and the stories that unfolded afterwards made me realize that there is still so much work to do. She talked about the difficulties students went through to jump the administrative barriers that were set almost impossibly high to work towards expanding the definition of rape to be inclusive of and recognize more experiences. She told us that only around 6% of schools nationwide has any sort of amnesty clause protecting survivors who choose to report, meaning a written policy to shield survivors who report their assault from being penalized for underage intoxication. Once the floor was opened for questions, a student from a school in North Carolina desperately asked for help, asking the speakers how they would suggest dealing with a university that denied that sexual assault was even a problem on their campus, and subsequently attempted to drive out the only survivor advocate on campus. The story of their struggles made me feel extremely privileged to go to a University who not only supports sexual violence prevention, but prioritizes it. We are lucky enough to have full-time staff members who do amazing work with survivors and create opportunities for students to educate others. We have campus resources available to the masses, and the opportunity to reach the entire incoming freshman class with our message. We are all extremely lucky to be a part of a program like SAPAC, and I think that this is something we all need to remember when things get frustrating. In order to keep doing the work that we do with as much passion as we bring to the table every day, I think it's important to step back and celebrate our victories. SAPAC staff, interns, co-coordinators, and volunteers, you are all wonderful and appreciated! Peace, love, and SAPAC!

-Caroline Buck, PE Volunteer

Oftentimes my experience as a feminist activist consists of defending feminism to others. Whether it's convincing people that feminists don't hate men or that we do indeed wear the occasional bra, I've realized most people don't have a clear image of feminism. The more I explain, the more people seem to like the idea, some evening adopt the label. However, I have never been in a room with hundreds of self-proclaimed feminists who celebrate our identities together. That all changed at the conference. 500 feminists from all over the country came together to find a common ground in this movement and to help each other reach our goals. These women and men (yep, MEN :) ) were truly inspiring and helped me see that even though I feel frustration when combating negative stereotypes of feminists, the movement is only growing. This experience was extremely empowering and I see a lot more hope in regards to improving the treatment of women on campus. The six of us have learned so much about being effective campus leaders and dedicated feminists. It was an absolute honor to represent the University of Michigan at this conference and, with your help, I see us making great changes for our campus's future.

-Ellie Howe, NPA Volunteer

My favorite session that I attended was “Everything You’ve Ever Wanted to Know about Abortion and Birth Control.” The speaker was Dr. Beth Jordan, a physician and Medical Director for the Feminist Majority Foundation. This was the last event I attended and was a nice final touch on the observations I had been making throughout the conference- that people working for women’s rights are amazing! All of the women who spoke at this conference are involved in an organization or field of work that is working towards obtaining more rights for women. It truly was empowering hearing about how there are so many people who care about these issues.

There were two elements that mainly attracted my attention during this workshop. The first involved Dr. Jordan’s presentation and the way she presented herself. Dr. Jordan particularly inspired me by her sureness of self and quickness to respond correctly, or even honestly admit that she was not entirely sure about an answer. She was so confident in the face of all types of questions related to the difficult topics of abortion and birth control methods.

The second thing I noticed was that many listeners had many misconceptions about these issues. Either they had received false information or they never had the opportunity to ask or discuss with a willing listener. I feel that this is a recurring theme with all issues involved with feminism. The general public simply does not know about resources or concepts as much as they should. I strongly believe it is because of a societal censorship of issues it does not want to admit to having.

Relating this back to SAPAC, from this workshop as well as the rest of the conference as a whole, I was inspired to want to know the answers immediately when a question arises about sexual violence. I was proud to think of SAPAC as an organization that is working to create discourse on the issues involved with sexual violence, which have previously been hidden and repressed from discussion in our society.

-Lindsay Walker, NPA Volunteer

I loved every part of the National Young Feminist Leadership Conference, but one session really stood out to me. It was the session on Social Media and Feminism. While the session itself was really interesting and informative there was one thing about it that made it stand out from all the others. I had just asked a question about how we can get our information across to a younger audience, primarily middle school, and people gave me a lot of good ideas. My question stemmed from an article my little sister Haley had written about formspring for the teen blog The FBomb (which got picked up by Jessica Valenti, my sister is so cool), and she had gotten responses from middle school aged girls. After my question was answered a girl sitting up front raised her hand to ask her question. She said that she was in fact 14 years old and she values feminism in her life, but doesn’t know how to get people to take her seriously because of her age. It was amazing to see that this 14 year old girl, who was in a room with pretty much all college aged women and men, was so strong. No one had a clear answer for how she could be taken more seriously, which I find distressing. Why is it that we value age so much in our society, and why do we tend to dismiss young female views? As this girl sat back down, with no clear-cut answer, she looked very defeated. She wanted so badly to help spread the views of feminism to people in her community but because of her age, no one would listen. These young girls and boys are passionate about the issues that we are all passionate about, but we exclude them. We need to do a better job of incorporating the younger generation into our fight for equality. Letting everyone who wants to stand with feminism be able to do so, and do so vocally and without consequence, is something that can only make us stronger.

-Becca Schreier, PE Volunteer

The conference brought so many issues I hear about on the news and in class to life. It is easy to watch protests on TV and read about strikes in newspapers, but it is completely different to come together as a HUGE group of people and spend a weekend taking these issues head on. There are huge changes going on in our country and they all affect each and every one of us. My favorite workshop was one that focused on combating homophobia on campuses. Although the hour was spent talking specifically about homophobia, the way we discussed activism was relevant to the work at SAPAC. The most common reaction I get when I explain what I do at SAPAC to someone who does not know about the organization is something along the lines of, "Really....?" or "Oh.... okay...". People immediately assume that because I call myself a feminist, I must only adhere to all the stereotypes that go along with the label. During this workshop, we talked about the importance of recognizing intersectionality within each and every activist. You do not have to leave any part of you behind during your activism and embracing individuality only makes you stronger. Once you become a part of a movement, it is also important to check yourself and reflect on why you are still involved. With the climate of activism constantly changing, we all must evaluate what part of our cause keeps the little fire inside of us going. This idea really stuck with me because I have been working with feminist issues for a long time and there are so many different aspects that keep me passionate about the issues. It is really exciting to go back in time and remember the things you have accomplished and to look back at how activism has affected your life! Try it! The last thing that stuck out to me was when the speaker asked which school had any form of queer studies and it was only me and one other school who raised their hand. I am so grateful for everything Michigan has to offer and we are so lucky to go to a school that puts human right issues on the forefront of the agenda. I want to go back next year!!

-Lauren McIntosh, NPA Volunteer

Kappa Sigma Brother's "Gullet List"

2011-03-13T16:40:00.001-04:00

Many of you may have seen the recent post on Jezebel about the "Gullet Report" email by a Kappa Sigma Fraternity Brother at USC. It is disgusting to say the least.

Starting off with the email itself:

"To the Distinguished Gentlemen of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity:
As I have mentioned I will be starting a weekly Gullet Report. In response to the Soft Report, I felt it necessary to offer a contrasting and more uplifting telegram. My theories and practices are elaborated in more detail in the body of this email.
Please send me all of your hook-ups in Tucker Max format (for those unfamiliar with this legend, google will suffice). These renditions should be elaborate and interesting. I want raw data on who fucks and who doesn't. In conclusion the gullet report will strengthen brotherhood and help pin-point sorostitiutes more inclined to put-out. From my experience when a female goes Ksig shes typically repeats.
For your entertainment read on and pause for note taking. My hope is that ALL of our brothers will follow this creed with pride and distinction.
I have come to write this memo to you today to educate on the only life worth living, that of a Cocksman. A Cocksman is taught to live by the two most applicable principles I know: The Pie and the Gullet. You may already be lost in trying to comprehend this logic. Do not worry this is completely understandable. By the end of this memo, you will not only gain a greater understanding of what it means to live, but you will have embraced a lifestyle. However, in order for this to happen you first must know a couple key terms.
Note: I will refer to females as "targets". They aren't actual people like us men. Consequently, giving them a certain name or distinction is pointless.
Pie: A target's vagina. Some of you may have heard phrases such as, twat, cooter, muff, snatch, poontang, cock pocket, DNA dumpster, fun hatch, cock sock, the fish flap, spunk-pot, whisker biscuit, or the rarely used, wizard's sleeve. All these terms are interchangeable and fine to use. However, for the purpose of this memo, I will refer to a target's vagina as pie.
Gullet: Usually refers to a target's mouth and throat. Most often pertains to a target's throat capacity and it's ability to gobble cock. If a target is known to have a good gullet, it can deep-throat dick extremely well. My advice is to seek out this target early in the night. Good Gullet Girls (GGG) are always scooped up well before last call.
Grip: Refers to the tightness of a target's pie. If a target is said to have good grip, your cock probably feels like it's in a vice when you are deep inside it. If a target is said to have great grip, your cock probably feels like it got caught in a Chinese finger trap. Gentlemen, don't let a target like that get away from you. Avoid the pie's that are extremely meaty and resemble a cold cut combo from Subway. More often then not, if a target's pie looks like a bag of roast beef on the outside, it's probably a Cleveland Sideslapper.
Cleveland Sideslapper: An extremely loose pie. The target's pie has become so loose because of overusage, the lips of the pie flap and slap it's inner thigh as it walks.
Pie-Getters: A man that is possessed with getting his nut off. He exists solely to spread his seed in any pie that will have him.
R.D.A (Raw Dog Assassin): A man that refuses to wear condoms because no feeling on earth can compare to a warm piece of pie coming in contact with your cock. Let's be honest, if it isn't raw it isn't real. Drawbacks of this philosophy are that you may have to visit the clinic more often than not, but a quick penicillin shot really isn't that bad (trust me).
Loop n' Doop: A target that is very easy to take down. All she takes is a good amount of liquor (loop) and she will be good to go for you to fuck her (doop). Be careful with loop n' doops, because too much loop and they will get sick and be useless entities.
Guap n' Drop: A target that is extremely difficult to take down. She probably doesn't drink very much and she probably has a high socioeconomic status. Simple tactics wont impress her. It will take a good amount of effort and time to crack these. You are going to have to open up the wallet (guap) and spend (drop) a good amount on her to finally get to the pie. Better hope it has great grip for all your diligent work.
Defending the Gullet Report:
You may feel this is an unnecessary initiative. Gentlemen, you could not be more wrong. Gullet Reports only exist to help pie-getters get their nut more. It gives them the knowledge so they can operate as an efficient, calculated assassin. It also exists to call out the pie-getters who may fabricate stories sometimes or tend to exaggerate their sexual encounters. You all know who you are, and should be ashamed of your actions. There is nothing wrong with having a fatty on your record.
Also, sometimes targets that look like a Mack truck ran over their face have the greatest bodies and some outstanding grip. He who is without sin can cast the first stone, but he does not exist. Having a bad mark on your resume is a slight drawback of being a dedicated nut-getter. Shit happens. But own up to your disgrace, as you will only make the situation worse if you don't take credit for dicking-down scum.
By now I assume some of you are wondering what constitutes a bad mark on your resume. To simplify the matter, I have come up with a rating system so strict that most of you will cringe when you actually figure out what your lifetime average really is. This scale was created because a friend of mine went on a spring break trip and came back claiming he fucked a 9. His defense was "she had to be a 9 man. She was the hottest girl I ever fucked." That was when my friend and I decided to institute an absolute ranking system that could be universally used and implemented.

The scale is a simple 1-10 ranking system, with outliers existing up to a -5. Anything worse than that and I suggest you go find the nearest cliff and end your sorry putz existence. You don't deserve to use your cock anymore and you don't deserve to live your life. Moving on, I am sorry to break it to you but no one in our fraternity has ever fucked a 10. Probably only a handful have put down a 7. Society has inflated your perception and lowered your standards. My scale is absolute. It takes nothing else into account but pure physical beauty. Anything you can see with your eyes is fair game, however, a target does not get a higher ranking if it has "great grip" or a "great gullet." How many times have you seen some sorry sap trying to justify fucking a poor piece of pie by saying "dude she gives great head" or "her pussy is so tight!" Many fatties and uglies do have great gullets and are particularly good at sex. They have to be more dedicated to their craft because no one would talk to them otherwise. Likewise, a target does not receive a reduced ranking if you get down to the pie and it resembles a slaughterhouse. It's unfortunate, but poor qualities like that do not lower her physical beauty.
I would now like to take the time to explain the rating system in detail. I will not cover negatives because when you are trying to decide whether a target is a -3 or -2 that's just sad for mankind. Moreover, since I do not personally know you I cannot be the judge of what pie you have fucked. I will offerer my guidance upon request because I consider my self a pie-getting veteran. My judgment is sound and I promise to give you my unbiased opinion. Seek my council in ranking a target, as initially this will be a difficult challenge for you.
To accumulate your lifetime average, have all the pies you have fucked verified by a brother who is also subject to these gullet reporting regulations. Then add up their ranks and divide by how many pies you have fucked. A good score is right around a 5.
To accumulate your "filth rating," add up all the pieces of pie you have fucked that are a 3 or below and divide by how many pies you have fucked. Make this a percentage. For example, my filth rating is at 12%, but I have exceeded 50 pieces of pie. Not bad.
10- The likes of Marissa Miller and Megan Fox. No one will ever get this.
9- If any of you are lucky to get so close to perfection, feel blessed. If you fuck this up, you should be lynched. This is your ceiling.
8- See #7
7-Wife Status. Be careful not to fuck this up.
6-Date Status. Be careful when you cheat, but still cheat
5-Apply the 5x5 rule. Toot it 5 times, and then boot it. Move onto the next piece of pie.
4-One night stands, but they are fairly attractive. Should not be repeats.
3-The filth cut-off. These are not attractive women, but sadly many of you have fucked these.
2-Still filth. Still Pathetic.
1-Anything this close to 0 is bad. You better be 3 four lokos deep to justify this abomination
0-Let me just say from experience, when calculating your lifetime pie accumulation, throwing a 0 in the mix really hurts the average.
Additional Rules for a Cocksman
1.) Non-consent and rape are two different things. There is a fine line, so make sure not to cross it.
2.) A target should maintain the hair around her pie. It's a matter of respect. Maintenance is preferred (I prefer pie that has been lasered increasing the aesthetics and feel).
3.) Do your research and find out what is a loop n' doop target and what is a guap n' drop target. Keep yourself busy by fucking loop n' doops while working on a guap n' drop on the side. It only makes perfect sense.
4.) When utilizing the loop power of 4 Lokos, be careful. A target on one 4 Loko is putting the odds in your favor of getting some pie. A target on two 4 Lokos is going to get sick and pass out. A target on three 4 Lokos leads to instances of litigation and lawsuits. Terms like "sexual assault" seem to be used in this case.

Pie Code
A pie code is essential to have so pie-getters can have a conversation in front of targets while talking about them and deciding which one to make a move on. The following references:
Blackberry: A black target
Blueberry Pie: half-black/half-white
Pumpkin Pie: A latin/mexican target
Pecan Pie: half-white/half-latin
Strawberry Pie: white target
Cherry pie: A young white target
Lemon Meringue: Asian target
Note: If you are so lucky to encounter a perfect piece of pie. I mean the grip is out of this world, it doesn't look like hair ever existed in the region, and it tastes like strawberry shortcake, then you are allowed to refer to the pie as crème brulee. It must hit the tri-fecta to be considered for this great and honorable distinction.
*Don't fuck middle-eastern targets. Exhibit some patriotism and have some pride. You want your cock smelling like falafel? Filth.
Do not recreate this email. This is for Kappa Sigmas. I will track you down and take your soul if you transmit this email to anyone outside our brotherhood."

You're KIDDING me.

This guy has successfully targeted and offending a huge number of groups in one single email, objectified women in ways I forgot still happened, and named them as not "actual people" and therefore subhuman.

This email by no means represents "frat guys" as a whole. This post is not about fraternities but rather misogyny and rape culture. Unfortunately, the guy that wrote this email has done a disservice to all the many, many good guys out there in fraternities and definitely played into the frat-guy stereotype.

He claims to want to "strengthen brotherhood" with this list, what a deluded mess. Note the "Loop n' Doop" target woman that he describes as needing "a good amount of liquor (loop) and she will be good to go for you to fuck her (doop)". Singling out women to systematically target with alcohol and then take advantage of has nothing to do with brotherhood. Remember - alcohol is the number one date rape drug. Dear idiot, you're promoting sexual assault - believing the delusion that there is a difference between the absence of consent and rape.

*Hint* --> lack of consent = sexual assault. Plain and simple.

There is just way too much wrong with this guy to pinpoint it all. The email went public and, not surprisingly, was responded to with outrage from USC's student body. Kappa Sigma nationals are attempting to track the original source of the e-mail, and suspects the letter may be an attempt by another organization to sully Kappa Sigma's name. If the author is, in fact, a member of the fraternity he will face expulsion for his actions.

NY Times covers the gang rape of an 11-year-old with victim-blaming comments

2011-03-11T08:59:00.000-05:00

This story has been developing for a few days, and I'm sure many of you have already seen it. Just after Thanksgiving last year, an 11-year-old girl was sexually assaulted by as many as 18 "men," ranging in ages from middle school to 28. The assault occurred in Cleveland, TX.

This story would be horrifying enough without what followed two days ago. A NY Times article written by James C. McKinley Jr covering the article included such victim-blaming statements as "how could their young men have been drawn into such an act?" and "They said she dressed older than her age, wearing makeup and fashions more appropriate to a woman in her 20s. She would hang out with teenage boys at a playground, some said." The overall tone of the article is one of defending the monsters who committed this heinous crime, and focuses on how the survivor's assault will affect the town and the perpetrators. It's disgusting.

There has been general outrage toward the NY Times, including a Change.org petition demanding an apology (which already has over 36,000 signatures). The Rumpus has a nice breakdown of why the response from the Times dodges the issue and passes the buck to those quoted (thanks Briana for the tip!).

There's also coverage of this story on Jezebel here and here.

Let's hope the NY Times can finally own up to their horrible coverage of this tragedy, and stop feeding into a culture that excuses perpetrators and blames victims for sexual assault. If you want to do something about this, send a letter to the editor or sign the petition.

-Emily R, NPA Volunteer

Feminist Coming Out Day!

2011-03-08T11:10:00.001-05:00

Time to raise awareness about a new event created by the partnering of a Harvard LGBTQ group and a feminist club! For most feminists, today is more popularly known as International Women's Day, but the collaboration of these two groups have created a new way to celebrate the day. Last year the first Feminist Coming Out Day was established and publicized by the creators. Today, the celebration is being publicized nationally and will hopefully only continue to gain recognition. Feminist Coming Out Day is a day for everyone, regardless of current involvement in the movement, to take a stand and be proud of calling themselves a feminist. As described on the website, the project "arose out of a frustration with the limited portrayal of the movement as straight, White, and cisgendered."

The feminist movement welcomes and benefits everyone! Take a free second to check out the website at http://feministcomingoutday.com and see some of the different ways people around the country are taking the day to speak proudly about feminism.

My personal favorite... the website has a template you can download with the heading "This Is What A Feminist Looks Like" and all you need is a picture of yourself. You can then publish the new picture to facebook or use the flyer for anything else- http://feministcomingoutday.com/get-involved .

-Lauren
NPA volunteer

Why Michigan Basketball's Student Section is AMAZING

2011-03-05T19:47:00.001-05:00

Today is the day that Michigan beat Michigan State 70-63 in the last basketball game of the regular season. It was a fast paced and exciting game that took us one step closer to the NCAA tournament. It was also the game in which our student section collectively spoke out against rape. While MSU's Keith Appling, was at free throw line, the primarily male student section roared "no means no!" while jabbing their fingers in his direction. It could just be my SAPAC bias (although I highly doubt it) but the student section seemed to be shouting with more volume and vigor than I've heard in a long time. The rage and emotion behind their statement was palpable; no one in the stadium could deny it.

While these free throw chants are typically humorous ("you wear UGG boots" is one example) this particular one was an inspiring declaration that violence against women is NEVER acceptable. Men are essential in ending sexual violence and I'm ecstatic that our student section chose to be a part of the solution. If the person who organized this happens to be reading our blog, I want to thank you. In a world of victim blaming and doubt towards survivors, you offered us a glimpse of what we can achieve. Only with your help can we eliminate rape on campus, and in our world, once and for all. You have voiced your intolerance of rape, and the athletic community heard you loud and clear. Michigan difference, baby. Michigan difference.

-Ellie
NPA Volunteer

http://michiganmessenger.com/42253/msu-sexual-assault

Here is MSU's Coalition Against Sexual Violence Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Coalition-Against-Sexual-Violence/151541101548199?ref=ts

Detroit Walk for Choice

2011-03-01T16:40:00.000-05:00

As some of you may know, women's health has come under siege lately. The House of Representatives recently passed the Pence Bill, which will defund Planned Parenthood and all other organizations that use Title X funding.

In response to this, people all over the country, and even the world, organized Walks for Choice, in order to let everyone know that this bill is unacceptable. All of the walks took place on Saturday, February 27, including the Detroit Walk for Choice.

Despite the onslaught of snow, there was a great turnout at the event, which translated into lots of incredible signs.

The group marched from Hart Plaza, split in two, and walked down both sides of Woodward Avenue, to Comerica Park and back. Loud cheers erupted every time someone honked their horn. The organizers of the event lead everyone in chants, such as, "What do we want? Women's rights! When do we want them? NOW!"

My personal favorite was, "Two, four, six, eight. We're the ones who ovulate. Not the church, not the state. We decide our own fate."

This isn't a spectacular picture, but I couldn't ignore how fitting a fist hanging above everyone was.

A large group of students from U of M carpooled to the event to show their support.

We asked a woman to take this picture for us, and as she peered through the camera lens, she said, "Look at all of you. You're all so young and empowered and excited."

And she was right.

--Nicole Corrigan

Disgusting

2011-02-25T08:42:00.000-05:00

A canadian judge, Robert Dewar, recently let a convicted rapist get off with no jail time because of "inviting circumstances," i.e. the survivor was wearing a revealing outfit. Let me make this very clear, Mr. Dewar: Clothes don't consent to sexual activity, past sexual history can't give consent, going off alone with someone doesn't give that person consent, and "wanting to party" does not mean wanting to be raped. Rape is rape, even if the survivor is not the "perfect victim" seen in the media. Rapists are the ones that deserve your blame, scrutiny and distain, Mr. Dewar. Your heinous victim blaming is nothing short of appalling, and you deserve to lose your job.

Here's the Jezebel article. And here's the linked article.

-Emily R, NPA Volunteer

2011-02-17T11:44:00.000-05:00

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41598622/ns/us_news-life/?fb_ref=story_header&fb_source=home_multiline

This is a great example of how cultural influence may impact the rate of sexual assault

"Consent is Sexy" Slogan Under Fire at CMU

2011-02-16T02:03:00.002-05:00

A friend of mine who attends Central Michigan University and is a volunteer for their Sexual Aggression Peer Advocates (SAPA) group posting a link to this article in Grand Central Magazine (a student-run campus publication) regarding a recent t-shirt that SAPA produced for a fundraiser.

The shirt has the slogan "It turns me on when you say 'Yes'" on the front and "Consent is Sexy: Ask First" on the back with a pair of red lips.

The writer of the piece (which you can read here) claims that the slogan "Consent is Sexy" is "offensive" to survivors of sexual assault and rape. She then goes on to claim that the shirt makes sexualized violence seem "cute."

Although she does bring in some valid points, she misses the point that the shirt is designed to raise awareness as a form of everyday activism. We at SAPAC use this and other slogans when we spread our message across our campus. We find it effective for several reasons:

It speaks truth. Consent in so many ways is sexy. We talk about this in SAPAC all the time. Many of us think it's a tremendous turn on when our parter asks if we like something or if something feels good, and the same effect becomes apparent when we hear those things from our partner. It seems as if the writer of this piece thinks that consent (and sex, for that matter) must always be a serious issue—what's the fun in that?
It focuses on a positive. Too often, we in the movement get accused of blaming people for sexual violence and looking only at the negatives, like statistics. Messages like "Consent is Sexy" counters this argument and puts a positive spin on our message. A message like this does not bluntly state "Stop Rape"; instead, it focuses on a positive thing that someone can in in his or her every day in order to make sure that they are engaging in wanted sexual activity. It is simply a way to make sure people are protecting themselves and their partners when engaging in sex—the focus does not (and should not) only be on the bad, less we drive people away from the message.
It does use humor, but humor is an effective tool. We talk about pretty serious issues in SAPAC and SAPA, and we always are conscious of our tone when we do so. However, we also know that humor is an effective way to get our message across. How many of us cracked a joke in a workshop we have given to lighten the mood? How many of us find funny videos or articles on this issue and share them with our peers? How many of us laughed at the jokes Dr. Keith Edwards integrated in his lecture last week? The truth is that although we talk about serious issues, using humor is an effective and less-offensive way to spread awareness about sexualized violence, and to make the messages of SAPAC and SAPA more tolerable to some audiences.
It raises awareness—enough said. Anything that gets this message across in an effective manner is a good thing.
Its message is a true form of everyday activism. Not only is the shirt itself a form of activism, but isn't asking for consent a form of activism? Asking for consent is one of the best ways to show your partner that you care about him or her. If it encourages people to make sure that they have informed, un-coerced, clear consent before engaging in sexual activities, then it has done its job. It's things like this shirt that show people that you don't have to be highly involved in these issues if you do not want to be—rather, your everyday actions can make a huge difference for the sake of this movement.

I would encourage you all to leave a comment on the article page and show your support for SAPA and "Consent is Sexy." We must show that we stand by our allies in this movement and show folks what activism is really about.

Mark Navarro

Men's Activism Program Co-Coordinator

Disturbing Rhetoric Surrounding Male Hormonal Birth Control

2011-02-15T18:22:00.001-05:00

As many of you may have heard, active research is being done on male hormonal birth control options such as pills or implants. Some articles claim that these options could be made commercially available in as little as 5 years. An MSNBC article quotes Dr. Andrea Coviello, a researcher at the Population Center for Research in Reproduction, as saying: "It largely depends on how funding continues. The technology is there. We know how it would work." In short, male birth control options beyond condoms may soon be a reality.

In my opinion, this is great news. The more contraceptive options, the better. This option is especially exciting because it allows for heterosexual couples to enjoy the benefits of the most effective contraception, even if the woman is unable to take OBC for some reason. It is also a step in the right direction toward more sex equality in reproduction and contraception. Reproduction in general, but especially contraception, has often been disproportionally the woman's responsibility. While it is true that women will always have greater responsibility concerning reproduction, simply because we are the ones who get pregnant, this emerging research gives me hope that that may be changing for the better.

Unfortunately, one wouldn't get that message from popular media covering this story. The MSNBC article cited above, and the first article to come up in Google when searching "male birth control pill," is disturbingly misogynistic. The main problem with the article is what quotes from interviews the author, John Schieszer, chose to include. One such gem is the following:

"'It is time for men to have some control. I think it would empower men and deter some women out there from their nefarious plans,' says Brown. 'Some women are out there to use men to get pregnant. This could deter women from doing this. An athlete or a singer is someone who could be a target and they could put a stop to that.'"

That the author chose to include this quote as a reasonable viewpoint is horrifying. Rather than taking the time to acknowledge the benefits this technology has for reproductive choice, the author decided to tout blatant sexism and misogyny.

The comments on this article were, if possible, even more disturbing. John Doe -1925461 writes:

"it is easy enough for a woman to get pregnant on purpose and leave a guy...to be a man in the united states and try to fight for custody of your child is the most futile, depressing, and expensive ordeal you can imagine, I would rather be a woman and get raped daily for the rest of my life than go through it all again."

I'm not going to post it here, but the comment by InterestedWatcher is also worth a read. The main themes in the comments seem to be the following: women routinely "trap" men through pregnancy and male hormonal BC would "free" men, and STD rates would increase.

What do you guys think about this?

Another point the article makes is that many man would not use hormonal BC. One man is quoted as saying:

“'I would rather rely on a solution that doesn’t involving medicating myself and the problems women have had with hormone therapy doesn’t make me anxious to want to sign on to taking a hormone-type therapy,' says Hardin, who is single and a college administrator."

This quote alludes to a problem I imagine companies trying to sell male hormonal BC would run into. Contraception is viewed as a "woman's issue," and I believe a fair number of men would not consider using hormonal BC because of this. Some may also view it as emasculating, especially since many men said they will use it "only if their partners make them."

I am disappointed that a potentially game-changing technology was reported with such narrow-mindedness and misogyny.

-Emily R, NPA Volunteer

For more information about male birth control pill visit the Discovery Health website.

Uncyclopedia, this is unacceptable

2011-02-12T18:11:00.000-05:00

"It's not rape if you yell surprise."

Ever heard this phrase? I have. Back in high school, I had classmates who would chant it as a joke. Today during a discussion, this phrase came up, and when I came home, I decided to Google the phrase and see just how far its scope reached. What I found, shocked me.

The first result was a link to Uncyclopedia, which seems to be some sort of parody of Wikipedia. The Uncyclopedia article was entitled "Rape," and it is probably one of the most disgusting things I have ever read. Documented below are just a few offensive portions of this article - however, it does not even begin to encompass the disturbing nature of this page:

The second paragraph: "Rape is a necessary part of human interaction. When a woman does not do her daily chores, or smiles at a man, or goes out in public, or breathes, or wakes up in the morning, she is asking for it. Women need rape to stay healthy and happy."

A section entitled "How to commit rape," complete with a five-step process.

A section entitled "Asking for it."

A section entitled "What To Do if You Have Been Raped," with this quote: "Most importantly, DO NOT inform the police for at least two weeks. Taking a short time to come to terms with your trauma and well-deserved sense of shame and self-disgust will help them to dismiss your case. Coming forward immediately may make them believe the kind of cock and bull story sluts like you are always coming up with, and could land your rapist in trouble."

Listed below is the link to the actual page: read at your own risk.

http://uncyclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/Rape

In a nutshell, I am positively disgusted. I don't care if this was intended as a joke. I sure as hell am not laughing. This page is, for starters, victim blaming, homophobic, sexist, racist, and in completely bad taste. By reducing the act of rape to a joke, this page is not only contributing dangerously to our current rape culture, but making an already severe problem worse. Has anyone considered that some people may be reading this page and taking it literally? There is a five-step process TO RAPE SOMEONE on this page! It is NEVER okay to mock, degrade, objectify, or encourage rape. NEVER.

Reactions?

--P

SAPAC Presents "Men Ending Rape: Why U-Matter" with Dr. Keith Edwards

2011-02-07T13:31:00.000-05:00

Thursday, February 10th

7:00pm

Pendleton Room, Michigan Union

SAPAC's Men's Activism Program (MAP) is proud to present a talk with Dr. Keith Edwards, Director of Campus Life at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Keith is a nationally renowned speaker on the issue of men’s involvement in ending sexual violence. Over the past eleven years, Keith has spoken at over fifty college campuses, presented over sixty programs at national conferences, and has published fifteen articles on the topic of men in the movement to end sexual violence. He earned a Masters of Science in Student Affairs in Higher Education from Colorado State University and a PhD in College Student Personnel Administration from the University of Maryland, where his dissertation, “Putting my man face on": A grounded theory of college men's gender identity development, was awarded Dissertation of the Year by ACPA – College Student Educators International for 2007. Keith serves as the Director for Campus Life at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota, and continues research and writing on the topics of sustainability in higher education, focusing on the integration of healthy environments, and social justice, as well as college men's issues from a feminist and social justice perspective.

Dr. Edwards' lecture will focus on men's role in ending sexual violence on college campuses and how they can become active members of the movement to end violence against women.

This event is co-sponsored by the University of Michigan Department of Psychology, Department of Anthropology, the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, the Center for the Education of Women, the Institute for Research on Women and Gender, Counseling and Psychological Services, University Health Services, PULSE, Mesa/Trotter, and the Ginsberg Center.

This event is free and open to the public.

2011-01-22T18:07:00.001-05:00

Hey Guys, 
This popped up as a story on my e-mail and I thought it was interesting. This single

mother won the Mega Millions Jackpot at the beginning of the month. When I first

started reading the story, I was concerned because of the seemingly negative spin

they put on her for being in an abusive relationship. Fortunately, they reported that

her friends supported her and didn't give in to media pressure. 

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_MEGA_MILLIONS_MYSTERY?SITE=SCCOL&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

SAPAC NOW ACCEPTING....

2011-01-17T16:00:00.002-05:00

Volunteer applications for our upcoming winter training! Go to www.umich.edu/~sapac for an application to join one of our three programs: Men's Activism, Networking, Publicity, & Activism, and Peer Education
Artist submissions of any medium for our 6th annual rEVOLUTION: making art for change. Themes of the show are gender, empowerment, racism, and sexual violence. Please email submissions to rev11@umich.edu

Touching

2011-01-13T12:49:00.000-05:00

A post by Bust Magazine on their facebook page called "Seems Like a Touch, a Touch Too Much" really got me thinking today. For those who don't want to go read it, Mary S. is talking about the seeming availability of women to touch. I'm 5'1.5" (gotta get that half an inch in there when you don't have many to spare), and people just touch me. Constantly. Apparently, I'm just so tiny and adorable they can't help it. However, when people I don't know start touching my body in public (or private, for that matter), I honestly have trouble not vomiting.

When I was a child, I had very, very long hair. Supposedly, I was putting a sign on my back that said "Please touch my hair! I don't care who you are, where we are, come on over and run your hands through my hair and give me your opinion on it!" I had a nasty trifecta back then-- child (I'll come back to that), female, and unusual. It got to the point where I contemplated shearing off my braids myself, just to make it stop. I finally cut my hair in eighth grade, and cut off 37 inches. However, it didn't fix the problem, because I had a new conglomeration of problems: just past puberty, which meant that in the eyes of society I was now sexually available, female, tiny, and when I started dyeing my hair pink and blue, back to unusual. Now that I've shaved my head, you'd think that it would make people give a second thought, but no, the sign now reads "My head has an unusual texture! Rub your hands ALL OVER MY SKIN."

It's not just hair, either. If I say I'm tense, instead of offering tylenol, strangers will start rubbing my shoulders. When I can't reach something on a high shelf (and believe me, I often can't), people will wrap their arms around my legs and lift me up to grab it. If I'm in the way, instead of politely asking me to move, I am picked up and moved out of the way, often suddenly and from behind. Those are the most egregious instances, but small ones are just as awful. People just disregard my need for space. I'm not sure when they're disregarding it because I'm small or because I'm a woman, but they'll sit too close on the bus (I'd follow Mary's advice from her article and shove on their legs with mine, but I have the feeling they'd take it as a sexual advance), shove up against me in lines or concerts, throw their arms around me shoulders or lean in too close while talking to me, pick me up to see how much I weigh, and as previously stated, rub their hands all over my scalp.

I always give people at least a dirty look when they do this. Sometimes I will go so far as to place my hands on their back (I figure that if they're invading my space to this degree, they deserve it) and shove them the fuck away from me. Most of the time, however, I just let it go. Sometimes I am just so damn tired of everything that I deal with (rape, homophobia, misogyny, etc, not to mention all of my daily responsibilities) that I can't handle one more thing and I just get away as fast as I can. I just can't take the "humorless feminist, god, I'm just trying to be nice, you said you were tense" one more time. I can't do it. In Spectrum Center Ally Training, the idea was that if we train enough people to stand up, it'll take the weight off of others, but nobody really seems to talk about this. The closest thing is sexual assault, and even then we don't really talk that much about commonplace touching of strangers when it isn't groping butts or what have you. More people need to talk about this.

One place I'm planning on starting is with my children. My own experience with my mother's refusal to let me cut my hair has convinced me that my kids can do whatever they damn well please with their own bodies. Blue hair? Sure. Down to their waist? Who cares? Polka dot shirt and striped pants? Go right ahead. Furthermore, kids are subjected to touching all the time. Go hug Grandma, we say. It'll make her sad if you don't. Come sit on my lap, I want to hold you while I talk to your mom. Ride on my shoulders. Of course, I'm not saying that kids don't often like this, because they do. I'm saying that we don't give them a choice. It's what we want, and children are taught that they have to acquiesce to it even when it goes against everything their bodies are telling them. Then they grow up, and it's ingrained into them. Do we really want our kids learning these things? Grandma can suck it up when Junior doesn't want to hug them, in my opinion.

Now excuse me while I go throw up from someone rubbing my head, and no, I don't want your shoulder rub.

--Briana

"Uncovering Sexual Assault in the Military"

2010-12-21T22:20:00.000-05:00

Check out this article.

A relative of one of our professional staff members at SAPAC was part of the group of Yale Law students who filed the lawsuit! How exciting!
http://www.aclu.org/blog/womens-rights/uncovering-sexual-assault-military

CouchSurfing ignores violence against women.

2010-12-10T13:25:00.000-05:00

CouchSurfing is an organization that lets travelers keep costs low by connecting members with other members who let the traveling members stay at their home. Their mission statement from their website reads,

At CouchSurfing International, we envision a world where everyone can explore and create meaningful connections with the people and places they encounter. Building meaningful connections across cultures enables us to respond to diversity with curiosity, appreciation and respect. The appreciation of diversity spreads tolerance and creates a global community.

However, recently they haven't been holding up their mission statement, especially when it comes to the respect of women. Change.org recently published a blog with stories from a couple of women describing their very negative experiences with CouchSurfing. One woman, Melissa Ulto, had been repeatedly sexually harassed by her host, and in the end decided she did not feel safe at his house and went to a hotel. Another woman was not able to escape the situation and ended up being held captive and raped by her host.

CouchSurfing's resposne to Ulto? That they had a "higher than usual workload" and that since there were no witnesses they must remain as neutral as possible. In fact, CouchSurfing seems to continuously ignore the various complaints from many women on their own message boards, and only give out the standard response, that members need to look into their potential hosts more closely. The only way it seems to get CouchSurfing's attention is through proof of legal action, where the responsibility is completely on the survivor to lodge a complaint and seek the authorities. In a completely different culture than the one they are accustomed to. Obviously this solution is not effective.

One of CouchSurfing's "Guiding Principles" is

We seek continuous personal development for ourselves and others.

Well, they need to realize that something is wrong with the program, especially in regard to women's safety. They need to start listening to survivor's stories, and develop the program so it no longer is unsafe to participate in. They need to realize that safety is something they need to develop so that the responsibility is not on the member to vigorously search information about potential hosts in hopes that they are not harassed or assaulted. All in all, CouchSurfing needs to step up.

In the end, a lot of people are asking the question, should CouchSurfing be shut down? Does CouchSurfing ignore the safety complaints of it's members enough that it is no longer a reliable and good service?

-Natalia

Upsetting Conversation

2010-12-09T18:00:00.000-05:00

Hey Blog-Readers,
I wanted to share a conversation that I had with a friend of mine recently and get some feedback from you guys about it. We're going to call my friend "Bobby." I was talking to Bobby on the phone the other night and we got started on a conversation about dates and dating and what is expected on a date. His argument was that if a guy and a girl go out on a date and the guy pays for everything, that it is expected that the girl "repay" him. It would be "unfair" to let the guy pay when the girl has no plan to "at least hook up with him." He argued that if a girl did not plan to pursue sexual activity with the guy, she should offer to split the bill up front. If the guy then refused to let her pay, "it's his own fault if he doesn't get any." I brought up the argument that a girl could have intentions of "hooking up" with him at the beginning of the date but decide later that she no longer wants to. He said that in that case, it was the guys fault for "screwing something up" that led her to no longer want him sexually. This then turned into an argument about gender roles. He claimed that people could either choose to be "old-fashioned" or "progressive." If the couple was to be "old-fashioned" then it was the man's role to pay and the woman's role to "repay." If the couple chose to be progressive, then "clearly" they would split the bill and there would no longer be any "expectations" of either party. Being the romantic that I am, I brought up that it used to be that a man would pay for a date out of both a sense of obligation and just to pay for the right to be in the woman's company. To this he replied "well that's just stupid." He also said that in general, a woman would "go out" to have fun, whereas a man would "go out" to "get laid." When I brought up the fact that all of these were complete gender stereotypes and had no real validity in a real-life situation, he said that "these things are portrayed in movies and TV for a reason....that's how things are." He also claimed that if it wasn't for man's "need to go out and get laid" and woman's desire to "hold out until she found the right (biggest, strongest, smartest) guy," that there would either be no furthering of mankind or the children would small, weak, stupid, and not survive.

.....

As I'm sure many of you will understand, this conversation was very frustrating for me. I hold very different opinions about the situation. Paying for something and expecting sexual repayment? That's the definition of prostitution. How is it then that he is able to so "solidly" justify this? It's because this is the image of dating that we see in the movies and on TV. But just because it's in the media, doesn't make it okay. The entire time I was trying to get him to understand my point, I realized that I would never be able to back it up as strongly as he could back up his point. My evidence is that "it's just wrong!" Whereas he can show his point of view in all sorts of media.

I wanted to blog about this to get your opinion on a few different things:
How would you have responded to this conversation?
How can we possibly try to overcome these media stereotypes that have infiltrated and polluted our society?
And most importantly, I disagree with what the majority of society is telling me. But I'm not crazy, am I?

Frustrated and Confused,
Kara

CNN Hero of the Year

2010-12-07T16:52:00.000-05:00

Since 1993, Anuradha Koirala and her organization Maiti Nepal rescued over 12,000 girls and women from human trafficking. She has created a safe home for these women and children to live in. Since she has been so successful in saving so many people's lives, she and her volunteers sometimes have to have bodyguards in some cities to help rescue girls. Many of her volunteers are sex trafficking survivors.

Koirala's history of an abusive marriage inspired her to start Maiti Nepal. After that marriage ended, she saved her income of $100 per month and started helping other women who had experienced sexual violence. Now Maiti Nepal doesn't only take in sex trafficking survivors, but also women with HIV/AIDS and abandoned children.

Because of her courage, strength, and the empowerment she has instilled into these women and children, Koirala is more than worthy of the honor of being named CNN's Hero of the Year 2010.

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cnn.heroes/archive10/anuradha.koirala.html

http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/04/29/cnnheroes.koirala.nepal/

http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/11/21/cnnheroes.hero.of.year/index.htm l

The Slippery Slope Of "Advance Consent"

2010-12-06T20:12:00.000-05:00

Canada's Supreme Court is currently considering a case that could have serious implications for future sexual assault cases.

A Canadian woman consented to erotic asphyxiation with her husband, but not anal penetration. She eventually passed out, and woke up to find that she had been anally penetrated with a dildo. The woman pressed sexual assault charges against her husband.

A lower court convicted the man, but it was appealed and is now being considered by the Canadian Supreme Court. The defense is insisting that by agreeing to erotic asphyxiation, the survivor had consented to sexual activity, implying blanket consent on all sexual activity. The claim that the woman gave advance consent to activity that would occur while she was unconscious was not only incorrect, but besides the point. "Advance Consent" would take away a person's right to change their mind. Someone can say "yes" a hundred times, but if one "no" is heard, the sexual activity must stop. This can't happen if someone is unconscious or otherwise incapacitated.

The blanket consent defense sounds very similar to defenders of marital rape or rape that occurs in a relationship. The idea that once someone consents to sex once, it applies to all future cases or all possible sexual activities is just plain wrong. The Canadian Supreme Court has an opportunity to show how important un-coerced, consent is. Alternatively, they have the option of setting back rights to one's own body quite a few years. Hopefully they choose correctly.

Via Jezebel

Trauma Resources

2010-12-04T15:56:00.002-05:00

Here are a list of valuable trauma support resources provided by River Willow Fagan during SAPAC's writing workshop on November 30th:

Books:

Trauma/Narrative Theory:

Trauma and Recovery: The Aftermath of Violence-- from Domestic Abuse to Political Terror by Judith Herman
The Wounded Storyteller: Body, Illness, and Ethics by Arthur W. Frank
Writing as a Way of Healing: How Telling Our Stories Changes Our Lives by Louise DeSalvo
Walking the Tiger: Healing Trauma by Peter Levine

Autobiographical Narratives:

Black Boy by Richard Wright
The Cancer Journals by Audre Lorde
Dangerous Families: Queer Writing on Surviving edited by Matt Bernstein Sycamore
I Am a Red Dress by Anna Camilleri
A Language Older than Words by Derrick Jensen
Exile and Pride by Eli Clare

Fictional Narratives:

A Map to the Next World: Poems and Tales by Joy Harjo
Beloved by Toni Morrison
Case Histories: A Novel by Kate Atkinson

Websites:

Activist Trauma Support- http://www.activist-trauma.net/
Allied Media Projects- http://alliedmedia.org/
Center for Digital Storytelling- http://www.storycenter.org/index1.html
Healing Trauma- http://healingtrauma.pscap.org/
Power-Under: Trauma and Non-Violent Social Change- http://www.traumaandnonviolence.com/
Rape Abuse and Incest National Network- http://www.rainn.org/
Storytelling & Organizing Project- http://www.stopviolenceeveryday.org/

If anyone has any suggestions of resources to add to the list, please contact me at hscol@umich.edu

-Heather Colohan

Sexual Assault Case at Notre Dame

2010-12-02T21:02:00.001-05:00

A recent issue in the news is the story of Elizabeth Seeberg. She was a 19 year-old girl who attended St. Mary’s College, a sister school of Notre Dame.

In the beginning of the school year, she was sexually assaulted by a Notre Dame football player. The following day, she reported the incident to the Notre Dame police, who neither took action, nor made the incident public knowledge. Nine days later, Elizabeth was found dead after having overdosed on medication she had been taking.

Even when the investigation of her death was taking place, the Notre Dame police still did not inform the county of the report Elizabeth made over a week earlier. It wasn’t until two months later that the Notre Dame police finally shared the report with a county prosecutor.

According to the second article below, Notre Dame police apparently forward all sexual assault cases to prosecutors for action to be taken, if it is considered necessary.

Why was it not forwarded sooner? Whatever the reason was, it was meaningless. There is no excuse for failing to acknowledge sexual violence. It took a lot of strength for Elizabeth to report the incident in the first place. To have her case put on the backburner until much later is absolutely ridiculous. Based on this incident, the Notre Dame police should definitely reconsider how they handle sexual assault cases.

-Lindsay

1st article:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-met-notre-dame-story-20101121,0,7593127,full.story

2nd article:

http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2010/11/indiana-prosecutors-receive-voluminous-report-from-notre-dame.html

Let's call it what it is.

2010-11-30T23:37:00.001-05:00

Celebrity gossip is a guilty pleasure in which I occasionally indulge yet hate to admit. However, a recent article (or more of a blurb) on usmagazine.com needs to be addressed. Khloe Kardashian recently admitted to “losing her virginity” at the tender age of 14 to an 18 year old man. In this article Khloe says that she felt conned, persuaded, and uncomfortable due to the age difference. She also tells young women to not “let anyone pressure you.” As I read through the comments no one seemed to pick up on the coercion and power dynamic in this experience. Did no one see the immense power that an 18-year-old man has over a 14-year-old child’s agency? A commenter by the (ironic) name of “SweetPea” says: “No one needs to know you were dumb & whorish at 14!” Ah yes, the familiar slut-shaming and victim-blaming tactics.

As I read this blurb I felt outraged that no one called this experience what it was. An 18 year old coercing a 14 year old into sexual intercourse is rape. It is not being dumb. It is not being whorish. It is not losing your virginity. It is not sex. It is rape.

The fact that the “moral or the story” was to not “let anyone pressure you” is also disturbing because it victim-blames and places women in the age-old position of gate keeping. It is not my responsibility to not “get” raped. It is the responsibility of my sexual partner to obtain sober, uninfluenced, and verbal consent from me. The only person who should feel guilt, blame, and shame in Khloe’s story is the rapist.

-Ellie

http://www.usmagazine.com/celebritynews/news/khloe-kardashian-felt-disgusted-after-losing-virginity-at-age-14-20102911

Immediate Action Needed: Clemency for Battered Women Prisoners

2010-11-30T20:56:00.000-05:00

Please consider writing, calling, or emailing the governor and Michigan parole board on behalf of women wrongfully imprisoned who acted to save their own lives against their abusers. Governor Granholm has not been re-elected, so the Clemency Project is really pushing her to grant some of these women BEFORE she leaves office. Please take a few minutes to act on behalf of these women. Below, you'll see a template you can simply copy and paste as well as a list of women who are currently seeking clemency from prison in Michigan.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Governor Granholm,

Please consider granting clemency to Dolores Kapuscinski and other wrongfully imprisoned women. At this point in your term, you have an opportunity to take a stand against violence against women in the state of Michigan. These women deserve clemency.

-Your Name

Mailing Addresses:

Governor Jennifer Granholm

PO Box 30013, Lansing MI 48909

Michigan Parole Board

Barbara Sampson, Chair

PO Box 30003, Lansing MI 48909

Govofficesom@michigan.gov
jgerritt@freepress.com
SAMPSOBS@michigan.gov

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

First Degree Lifers:
1. DELORES KAPUSCINSKI 191704 Kent County, Murder I, Life, 1988. She shot her husband after severe sexual and emotional abuse. Expert witness testified, but no understanding of domestic violence ? especially sexual violence - by judge or jury in 1988. She is supported by MWJCP and UofM Law School.

2. BARBARA HERNANDEZ 218771 Oakland County, Murder I, Life, 1992. She was 16, a runaway from incest and abuse and neglect. She was homeless, living with a predatory, abusive boyfriend when he killed a man. She is supported by CAPPS, MWJCP, ACLU Juvenile Lifer effort.

3. MELISSA SWINEY 205346 Oakland County, Murder I, Life 1988. Abused, incested, mentally disturbed she became pregnant, gave birth and left the newborn in a field. She has the support of her arresting officers, PSI writer, court magistrate.

4. LUANNE SZENAY 214992 Bay County, Murder I, Conspiracy, Life, 1990.
She was beaten, threatened with death,
and her daughter threatened with kidnapping by her violent, drug addicted husband. Trying to leave and desperately afraid, she conspired with a co-worker who killed her husband to protect her.

5. MELISSA CHAPMAN 196612 Genesee County, Murder I, Life, 1988.
Violent boyfriend killed another man in her presence out of jealousy. She was 18, helped hide the body under threat of death.

6. SHARLEEN WABINDATO 150340 Muskegon County, Murder I, Life, 1977.
Her abusive boyfriend threatened her and forced her to participate in a robbery, and then he killed a man.

7. MACHELLE PEARSON 176620 Washtenaw County, Murder I, Life, 1984. At age 17, she accidentally shot a woman. Incested and beaten as a child, she ran away to an abusive predator who bashed her head, stuck a gun in her belt and told her to rob any woman who came by. In prison, she was raped by a guard, gave birth, was forced to give up the baby. She is seriously ill with Myasthenia Gravis, a debilitating muscular disease, aggravated by medical neglect.

8. SUSAN FARRELL , Oakland County, Murder I, Life, 1989. Her mentally ill son killed her abusive husband.

9. NANCY SEAMAN 520695, Oakland County, Murder I, Life, 2004. Killed her abusive husband in self-defense.

10. BARBARA DAVIS 436879, Wayne County, Murder I, Life 2002. Her father, who had incested her growing up, got out of prison and manipulated her to drive him to rob a drug dealer, then he shot the man. Her father was acquitted because she could not testify against him.

Second-Degree Cases:
11. KAREN KANTZLER, Oakland County, Murder II, Life, 1987. She shot her violent husband. He had broken her bones, beat her, thrown her, threatened her life. A study published by MWJCP in Hastings Women's Law Journal showed bias against Karen Kantzler and other battered women defendants by Oakland County. Trial judge, Hon. Norman Lippitt, supports clemency, attests he made "a serious and tragic error" in her case. Successor Judge Barry Howard supported her.

12. KINNARI SUTARIYA 316863 Wayne Co MurderII 11-20, 2000. Stabbed sexually abusive husband. She will be deported back to India, where she has family and support.

13. ANTOINETTE MCKINNEY 237079 Macomb Co, Murder II, 17-30. 1992. She shot her batterer-husband in a classic, self-defense struggle over a gun.

14. ANITA POSEY 260550 Eaton Co, Murder II, 17-50 years, 1997. She shot her violent boyfriend as he was threatening to kill her and their baby.

15. DONNA DEBRUIN, 227328 Wayne Co, Murder II, Life, 1988. Violent ex-husband was killed by abusive boyfrd.

16. CHRISTY NEFF 255549 Ingham County, Murder II, 40-60, 1996. Her violent ex-husband escaped from prison in N. Carolina and murdered her new, abusive husband out of jealousy. Both men saw her as their exclusive "property".

17. TAMMY RAMOS 630004 Wayne County, Manslaughter, 11-15, 2005. Killed her abusive husband in self-defense.

18. BRENDA CLARKE 312860 StJoseph, Murder II, 17-40, 2000. Killed her abusive husband in self-defense.

19. DEBORAH BEAMON 246190 Wayne, Murder II, 20-40, 1994. Killed her abusive boyfriend in self-defense.

20. TRACY SCHAFER 248225 Oakland, Murder II 18-30, 1995. Killed her abusive husband in self-defense.

21. DAWN GILLESPIE 509049 Oakland, Manslaughter. 7-15, 2004. Killed her abusive husband in self-defense.

22. TABITHA MAYNARD 377608 Genesee Murder II 24-33 2000 Killed her father who had incested her for years.

23. LANISE BASON 319076 Wayne, Murder II 18-50 Killed her abusive boyfriend in fear for her life

24. LINDA MARQUARDT 479446 Ingham, Murder II 15-35 killed her abusive husband in self-defense

25. ETTA DUNMIRE 608217 Calhoun, Murder II 20-30, killed her abusive husband in self-defense

26. QUIANA LOVETT 779728 Murder II, Wayne, 16-30, killed her abusive boyfriend in self-defense

27. ANA-MARIE CERON SANDOVAL 691128 Manslaughter, Branch, 5-15, killed abusive husband in self-defense

The Rude Mechanicals/SAPAC Collaboration

2010-11-30T20:45:00.000-05:00

A couple weeks ago, the NPA Volunteers and The Rude Mechanicals, a theatre group on campus, hosted a joint event in preparation for their upcoming play "SELF DEFENSE, or death of some salesmen." This event was a facilitated panel discussion with Dr. Carol Jacobsen, the director of Michigan's Clemency Project, and Katy Mattingly, author of Self Defense: Steps to Survival. This event was an amazing opportunity to discuss the issues of self-defense and what happens when people, particularly women, are punished by the law when they use self-defense.

The play is this December 3 (8pm), 4 (8pm), and 5 (2pm) in the Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre at the Michigan League. For more information, see the facebook event.

More information about Carol Jacobsen and Katy Mattingly.

-Crosby

Domestic Violence Bill to be passed in Angola

2010-11-30T19:38:00.001-05:00

On a daily basis, we are confronted with negative news about domestic violence. Whether it be a woman who is sentenced to life in prison after killing her abusive partner, rising rates of domestic violence worldwide, or even learning that one of our loved once is a survivor of partner abuse, there just isn't much good news out there.

That's why I was particularly excited when I found a headline on Google titled "Bill on domestic violence to be passed". When I clicked the link, I was somewhat surprised to find that the bill was not being passed in the United States, but rather in Angola, a country in south-central Africa.

Angola, like many other parts of Africa, has extremely high rates of domestic violence; it is estimated that in certain areas of cities, incidence rates are as high as 62 percent. As if that statistic isn't sad enough, domestic violence is not illegal in Angola and therefore it rarely gets brought to court. The first article I am posting is from last April and briefly describes the magnitude of the problem of interpartner violence in Angola and then suggests that governmental bodies, churches, and social groups are coming together to try to raise awareness to put an end to domestic violence. It ends like many articles on dv do, by stating that their is little hope for these survivors.

However, this story has a positive update! Hooray! The second article I am posting is from yesterday. It details how an anti-domestic violence bill, which is designed to raise awareness, spread education, and protect survivors, has passed in Angola's Cabinet Council and is now waiting approval in the nation's National Assembly. This is a huge step in a country where seven months ago domestic violence was completely legal and there seemed little hope for change.

Although it is hard to say how much this bill will actually do IF it is passed, it does beg the question, what about U.S. policies and laws against domestic violence? How much does our country strive to protect survivors, offer support, and raise awareness in the general public?

I plan on going to graduate school to conduct research on domestic violence and create more effective interventions. After an extensive search for schools that offer the opportunity to do research on this subject, I can tell you not many do. Sadly, although dv interventions are far from perfect, there are not many professionals in academia doing the critical research necessary to create better ones. On the state and national levels, funding is simply not high enough. Instead, the burden of alleviating domestic violence in the U.S. falls upon dedicated individuals and non-profit organizations.

I certainly hope that this bill will be passed in Angola and serve as an example to other countries worldwide. Domestic violence is a crime that cannot be tolerated.

-Karen

Original article:
http://ipsnews.net/africa/nota.asp?idnews=46672

New bill update:
http://www.portalangop.co.ao/motix/en_us/noticias/politica/2010/10/48/Bill-domestic-violence-guarantees-protection-victims,ee7d3872-c0e7-4743-aeb8-955d970ced90.html

Body scanners and the new pat-down procedures – How much must we go through to take an airplane?

2010-11-29T22:07:00.010-05:00

In October 2010, The Transportation Security Administration phased in (quietly) a new pat-down procedure.

Since then, the “ACLU has received over 900 complaints from travelers in the United States about the TSA's new pat-downs, providing a unique vantage point on what is taking place at airports around the nation. These complaints came from men, women and children who reported feeling humiliated and traumatized by these searches, and, in some cases, comparing their psychological impact to sexual assaults."

Here are some excerpts from travelers' complaints (taken from this link):

• “The TSA agent used her hands to feel under and between my breasts. She then rammed her hand up into my crotch until it jammed into my pubic bone.”
• “I cried throughout the groping and have had intrusive thoughts since. It was humiliating.”
• “The procedure was violating, degrading, invasive and humiliating.”
• “It was so rough that I felt the effects of it throughout the day.”
• “I do not feel safer. I feel violated.”

For other examples of graphic and perturbing descriptions of what some people have issued complaints about, you can read more here.

From reading many of these complaints, it is very clear that the new pat-down measures basically equate to molestation and sexual assault. I find it very disconcerting that not only is this currently legal, but that people are paid to do this to people all day.

Let’s remember, though, that there is supposed to be another option prior to the invasive pat-downs: going through the “body scanner.” These scanners were initially thought to be low-resolution images with blurred out portions. It turns out, however, that the images are in fact very high resolution, and not only does the scanner have health hazards, but there are no blurred out portions, and the security officer can see… everything. If you don’t believe me, you can read the following two articles (but be forewarned that there are explicit images obtained from the scanners in those articles): “Full-body scanner cannot replace diplomacy but imposes indecency on billions. Law says indecent exposure is crime, doesn't it?” and “Leaked Body Scanner Images Do Not Show The Whole Picture." And what’s more? These images are actually saved on their computers…which is how some of those images have been leaked out to the press.

Thoughts? Comments? Interested in signing a petition?

MSU Students Stage a Sit-In

2010-11-29T09:55:00.000-05:00

As SAPAC has mentioned before, a woman was raped by two Michigan State University basketball players this August. Disgustingly, despite the corroboration of the woman's story by one of the perpetrators, the Ingham County Prosecutor Stuart Dunnings III did not charge the players. When the university's Coalition Against Sexual Violence protested at the school's "Midnight Madness," a basketball pep rally, they were shouted down, attacked and forced to leave.

Most importantly, the university itself has not taken any action whatsoever, including making a statement condemning the rape. The Coalition finally staged a sit-in at President Lou Anna K Simmon's office on November 19th. After about 20 minutes of chanting "Silence is Betrayal," an administrator finally agreed to meet with the protesters on the spot.

Chief among their demands was that the university match the recent $500,000 raise for the basketball coach with funds for sexual assault prevention and education. The university already has mandatory education (my sister is one of the educators), but there are no consequences for not attending, no way for anyone in authority to know if an individual has completed it, and it is FULL of students yelling rape apologist bullshit (and y'all know how I feel about rape apology). Take a little money away from basketball (it already brings in a ton, you can spare it) and give your programs a little teeth!

(via Worker's World)

--Briana

Seriously, Jezebel?

2010-11-25T00:46:00.000-05:00

So by now you all know about the utter (fairly well-mannered) riot over at Jezebel. Well, Jessica Coen, the Editor-In-Chief, finally waded into the comments.

Hey everyone-

A few things, just to address the multiple concerns and let you know that no, your words are not falling on deaf ears.

- Let's get it out of the way: This was not published for traffic-baiting purposes. We are not compensated on page views; the sort of traffic this post produces is not the sort of traffic upon which the site's success is measured. If you're actually curious about the Gawker Media business model, that information is easily accessible via a basic online search.

- Jezebel doesn't post trigger warnings. I genuinely respect and understand why some sites choose to do so, but that's not us. Depending on an individual's experience, so many different things can be a trigger -- we're not going to determine what is and isn't worth a warning. That's your personal call. In a similar vein, you should not expect Jezebel to always be a safe space. That can be defined in so many ways; what is and isn't safe for you is, again, a matter of your judgment.

- This was posted because while it's indeed bullshit, it was bullshit that was written with a degree of thought and articulation that, even for its many failings, was earnest. Pasteck's purpose was not to attack but, misguided as he may be, to present his perspective to this audience. Okay, well, I'll let him put it out there because I worked at length with him, both of us knowing that it would be controversial; a Jezebel staff member has met with him in person, spoken with him on-record, and debated this issue with him. Ultimately I felt that his conviction, and the manner in which he presented it, was fit to post. I don't necessarily agree with every single thing a writer here may say, but if I'm okay with how they present their case, I will run their post. Same goes here.

Finally: I have read every single email and most of these comments (and will continue to do so, even if I am unable to further respond). I am sorry that so many of you find it personally disturbing; that was never the intention. A heated discussion, sure. But not to disturb anyone.

(And just so you don't think I'm ignoring any of this, a heads up that I cannot jump back into the comments and continue a discussion right now -- I have to interact with family, whether I like it or not.)

If you're celebrating, have a good holiday.
-jessica

Well. Let's go down this list, one by one:

Link-baiting: Bullshit. When Gawker, Jezebel's sister site, posted the Christine O'Donnel "expose," they explained their actions while saying "We also thought it would get us lots of clicks and money and attention." That kinda sounds like link-baiting and the Gawker Media business model to me. Furthermore, you actually CAN'T find their business model through a simple Google search. I looked.
Trigger warnings: This is one thing that I was specifically angry about the post lacking. While it's true that Jezebel does not usually use trigger warnings, they posted a discussion of it back in April of this year. Yes, it's hard to decide what's triggering for whom. But they usually say "NSFW" on their racier posts. They know that some jobs would be fine with you looking at pictures of dead-looking models, but why risk someone losing their job over a post on your site? So you put NSFW on a post. It's not hard. Why is putting a trigger warning or an editorial comment at the top of the page with an explanation of what was to be found in the post so difficult and unnecessary?
Safe spaces: seriously? We aren't supposed to expect you to be a safe space? Until Coen took over as EIC, there was nothing of this degree anywhere to be found. When the site is covered in pro-women, anti-sexism, anti-assault, positive body image posts and more, we're not supposed to expect it to be a safe space for women that fall into those categories? We're supposed to think "hey, Jezebel is going to do something that goes against all previous evidence! Guess I won't read today!" That's total bullshit and victim blaming. We should just accept the idea that it's our fault for getting upset. I don't mean to sound like I'm being overdramatic, but that's dangerously close to accepting the idea that our skirts were just too short.
Articulation: Wait, Jezebel is giving a platform to anybody who can use a thesaurus? Cause that's what his writing sounded like to me-- some dude who can't write, but changes a few words with his thesaurus to make it sound good. As the commenter PandaRobots says, "Does it have more flowery language as "get those bitches drunk, yo"? Sure. But the writing is atrocious."
Earnest: Bill O'Reilly is earnest. That is all.
Working in-depth with Pasteck: Oh, an anonymous staffer spoke with him on record? They debated the issue? Then why on earth didn't we get to see that? Why was there absolutely no debate shown to us? No disclaimer BEFORE a couple thousand people wrote outraged emails, comments and blog posts? Ridiculous!
Fit to post: You seriously didn't think about your thousands of commentators? All those people in the Jezebel community that have proven TIME AND TIME AGAIN that they hate stuff like this? That they find this rape apologia disgusting? I've said it before, and I'll say it again. You don't have to give people equal time for unequal views. Maybe you should read the posts on your own site-- this post goes over the "valid opinion" bullshit.
Okay with how they present their case: Also bullshit! Jezebel has a long tradition of banning people who disagree with them, as shown here. This also has a really great analysis of how Jezebel loves to contradict itself.

Honestly, at this point I agree with the many commentators who say that Pasteck is a friend of Jessica, another contributor to the site, or Jessica herself. As ladra-luna misses MizJ (that's a mouthful) says,

I think it's very cowardly to publish this under an alias. If this were an article appearing in a college newspaper, Jezebel would have published this guy's real name, email address, and picture by now. Why does "Edward" deserve any more protection for his controversial views than, for example, Tracie? At least Maura Kelly used her real name.

Amen, sister. At this point, I give up on Jezebel. I'll keep up with the comments on this disgusting post for a while, but after that I'm done. Yeah, they're usually awesome, but I'm not going to expose myself to the chance that I'll get verbally punched in the face. Jezebel has already made it clear that they feel it's my responsibility to monitor things for them, so I'm just done.

--Briana

Clothesline Project

2010-11-24T21:40:00.000-05:00

Here are some pictures from our latest showing of our Clothesline Project which took place at our Speak Out.

*Sorry for the low quality pictures.

Oh, Jezebel.

2010-11-24T13:49:00.002-05:00

Readers might know that most of us here at SAPAC are long-time fans of Jezebel.com. Feminist analysis, kitten videos, and pop culture all rolled into one fantastic package. Today, however, they've decided to post a fairly rape-friendly post by an "American guy in Paris freed from the idea of "consent." Yes, that is the title of the post.

It goes on to explain how the culture in Paris is one of violent, aggressive "come-ons" by men, including groping random women, forcibly kissing them, and getting them drunk to facilitate a "romantic moment." French women are supposed to laugh and accept this, and even feel flattered to be constantly "permanent sources of desire." Women are supposed to maneuver these attacks to "have the upper hand" in the situation. Excuse me for not catching this, but how the hell do women have the upper hand in a sexual attack?

He then goes on to discuss how women in America are so bound by ideas of consent-- "Here in America, our use of the word "consent" complicates the way we view the relation between sex and pleasure. "Consent" is a weighty term otherwise reserved for elevated, formal, even sanitized contexts. Using the term in regards to sex inherently ties a sexual choice to ethical and legal ones (and our unshakable Puritanism once again rears its modest head)."

I'm the first to agree that America is a Puritanical society, but this is ridiculous. Once again, women are positioned as the gatekeepers, and told that we have to be the ones to say yes or no to sex-- but not consent! No, sex isn't like that, you just make a decision with a sexual aggressor bearing down on you! Note to "American guy"-- this is sexual assault. Grabbing women on the street, kissing them without their permission-- these are both assault.

The very idea that Jezebel would post something like this disgusts me. It doesn't have an editor's name on the post, and the author, Edward Pasteck, doesn't have any other articles, and the only result for him on Google, other than the article in question, is a cached Facebook page without a photo and with only two friends. Judging by the comments on the article, it was up earlier today, which means it was taken down sometime between the posting of the article at 12:21 today and when I started writing this post at 1:30. I'm calling bullshit on this. Edward Pasteck doesn't exist, and it was somebody's idea of either a sick joke or "a way of sparking a conversation." Either way, I'm furious that one of the few spaces on the internet for women like me was invaded. I for one demand an apology from Jezebel for this, and I'll post an update when I find out what is going on.

UPDATE:
The only direct word I got was utter dismissal, which, judging by the comments on the actual article and many other blogs, is pretty much par for the course with Jessica Coen. I admit I was a little ragey in my email, which almost certainly didn't help, but a lot of comments have been acknowledging the fact that Jezebel has gone downhill recently, and I agree.

The "update" on their site says "Update/Editor's Note: "Edward Pasteck" is a pseudonym under which the author wants to continue writing (elsewhere). His views do not necessarily reflect the views of the site." Oh really? So you just tacitly support it? If you didn't, there would have been some analysis, a disclaimer, a trigger warning, ANYTHING. Instead, you gave him a platform from which to spew this garbage and then all you do is give that weak "note?" Thanks a lot. Shape up, guys.

--Briana S.

Don't be THAT guy.

2010-11-23T15:27:00.002-05:00

A new ad campaign called "Don't be that guy" has launched in Canada that targets men who use alcohol as a tool to facilitate sexual assault. There are not many ad campaigns out there that fight the cause sexual assault. By increasing the amount of media that empowers men to not commit assault and to act as a proactive bystander we can get to the root of the problem.

These ads use realistic images of women in vulnerable situations to reveal the tactics perpetrators use and to fight common myths about survivors. One ad has a picture of a woman passed out and lying face down on a couch with bottles of alcohol on the floor. The caption says "Just because she isn't saying no doesn't mean she's saying yes." I personally love this ad because it recognizes that consent must be an non-coerced, sober, and verbal "yes." This campaign is increasing pubic knowledge of the fact that the person increasing the level of sexual activity bears the responsibility of obtaining verbal consent.

More campaigns like this are necessary to fight sexual assault at its roots and to spread public knowledge about what constitutes consent. Through these images men are empowered to be a part of the solution and to spread the message loud and clear: "Don't be that guy."

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Campaign+targets+prey+drunk+women/3857999/story.html#

Teen Dating Violence Article

2010-11-11T19:06:00.003-05:00

Check out the following article:

http://gizmodo.com/5674128/the-scary-reality-of-electronic-dating-violence

Speak Out

2010-11-11T17:10:00.002-05:00

I thought that Speak Out was a great success this year. So many brave women (and men!) came up to the microphone to share their stories with all of the sympathetic and empathetic listeners in the audience. As my first Speak Out, I wasn't sure what to expect, but the event was more than I could have ever imagined. I was glued to my seat in awe of the strength of these people. I was moved emotionally and my dedication to SAPAC's cause was strengthened exponentially. Connecting with survivors on such an intimate level really allowed the audience to understand all of the hardships these men and women have suffered. I really wish there could have been even more people than there were for the sole fact that I believe it would have changed anyone's outlook on sexual assault and domestic violence.

2010-11-10T22:31:00.003-05:00

This is insane. A high-school cheerleader got kicked off the team for refusing to cheer out the name of the man that assaulted her as he played in a basketball game.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/crime/2010/11/09/jvm.cheerleader.rape.case.hln?iref=allsearch

There's a good amount of victim blaming going on in this situation. The school even made her family pay for legal fees of the suit. It almost seems as if the high school community did not try to believe her at all. No accommodations were made for her - in fact she was punished for making the choice to act (in her own right) and refuse to cheer the name of her attacker. Perfectly reasonable on her part.

Seems at first like such an obvious question, but what is it about our society that puts people in such denial? Why deny survivors?

The school certainly should have had this girl's emotional health in mind. Due to what's happened to her, as a survivor, she did not need the people around her to create an environment that lacks support. There should be protocol for these situations in school systems.

Agreed with the woman in the interview; this boy should have had SOME sort of action against him from the university.

"If I provide the party, at least I'll be in control of the situation"

2010-11-10T17:21:00.002-05:00

So many parents host parties for their underage kids with the thought that if they are in control of the situation, nothing bad can happen. While this party took place at a hotel and not in a home, the thought behind it is still the same.

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/25278704/detail.html

Clearly, these parents didn't want anything bad to happen to the students at this party. Clearly, also, they did not provide the supervision necessary to prevent these incidents.

How can we educate parents about the problems created by being "the cool parent"?

The Slippery Slope Of "Advance Consent"

2010-11-08T18:25:00.010-05:00

Canada's Supreme Court is currently considering a case that could have serious implications for future sexual assault cases.

The blanket consent defense sounds very similar to defenders of marital rape or rape that occurs in a relationship. The idea that once someone consents to sex once, it applies to all future cases or all possible sexual activities is just plain wrong. The Canadian Supreme Court has an opportunity to show how important un-coerced, clearheaded consent is. Alternatively, they have the option of setting back rights to one's own body quite a few years. Hopefully they choose correctly.

Via Jezebel

American and European Teen Pregnancy

2010-11-02T17:10:00.010-04:00

What's one thing the media loves to talk about? Teens and sex. Teens and pregnancy. Teens and STDs. Obviously, teens are having sex and this horrifies the media and right-wing conservatives. They enjoy taking a shocking story on America's high STD rates among teens and blaming it on birth control and honest discussions about sex.Somehow they ignore the overwhelming statistics that indicate STDs and pregnancy are oftenlinked to abstinence-only education. (For a full rant about that, read The Purity Myth.

Now let's take a look at Europe. In both America and Europe, teens on average start having sex around seventeen. That's where the similarities end. America's teen pregnancy rate is three to six times higher than any country in Western Europe. One in three American girls will be pregnant before the age of twenty. This is a higher rate than those found in poorer countries like China and Sri Lanka. Not only that, but there is a huge gap between Europe's STD rates and America's. As in our rates are twenty to thirty times higher than the Netherlands.

So what are Europeans doing that Americans aren't? Engaging in OPEN, HONEST, and DIRECT conversations with teens about sex and using protection. In America, wejust try to scare our teens into staying abstinent. Anyone remember the health class scene from "Mean Girls?"
If you have sex, you will get pregnant and you will die.
The difference between the European way of dealing with sex and our way of dealing with sex is blindingly obvious in our ads.

This German add reads "give the gift of love." In America, we don't talk about teen sex and love. We ONLY talk about the sex part.

Now what do American ads look like?

The message: sex is dangerous. It can kill you. It's like walking into a full-scale industrial fire. This ad doesn't inspire you to use protection. If you're doomed by sex, why even bother with protection?

What can we do to change this? How do we bring the issue of openly discussing sex to the foreground when most of society is busy slut-shaming?

Media Fail

2010-11-01T18:25:00.004-04:00

We all know that the mainstream media has some shortcomings when it comes to reporting about violence against women. For example, calling raped women "alleged victims" instead of the perpetrator "alleged rapists," or talking about how the woman had her skirt too short, etc. Here's another one for the files: "Candidate Accused of Getting Lesbian Pregnant." And no, that's not from a trashy magazine at the check-out line. That's straight from MSNBC.

The case itself is fairly horrible. David King, the Republican candidate for Wisconsin's Secretary of State, has been accused of taking a 31-year-old woman to lunch, getting her drunk, then raping her when she was passed out, which got her pregnant. She says that there's no other possible father, because she's a lesbian and has been with the same woman for four years. That's where MSNBC's headline came from. Even worse, MSNBC edited her quotes to take out multiple references where she plainly called it rape, choosing instead to repeatedly refer to it as "having sex with her," even though they do admit she was passed out. The whole thing is just a mess, but what's worse are the comments. It's a multitude of slut-shaming, why didn't she stop drinking, homophobia and a bonus round of accusations of ACORN and Obama trying to sabotage a Tea Party candidate. One writer even searched her lawyer and based his accusations in the fact that his facebook page "likes" Rahm Emmanuel and Obama. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, instead of wondering how a rapist got so far in office, let's accuse a black female lesbian of working with Obama to overthrow a Republican.

What do all of you think?

Via The Curvature

Man Acquitted of Rape, Despite Massive Evidence Against Him

2010-10-29T17:01:00.007-04:00

Timothy West broke into a house through the kitchen window at 1:30 in the morning in March of 2009. He then threatened a woman with a knife and raped her twice. At the end of the 3 hour ordeal, West asked the woman for her number, and she gave it to him (hoping to catch him later). Her brother called 911 right after West left the home, and police became involved.

The next day when West texted the survivor, she asked him why he raped her. He "apologized" and then asked her "You mad at me?... I can't call you no more?" He also admitted that he chose her house at random. This whole conversation was recorded by police. The bravery of the woman in giving her phone number to her rapist in hopes of bringing him to justice resulted in clear evidence against him.

Despite all of that, West was acquitted of all charges.

This exemplifies the struggle survivors face when trying to get justice. This woman's case had clear evidence, and even an admission of guilt from the rapist caught on tape. It also involved a scenario that is traditionally thought of as clearly rape, a break in by a stranger and a weapon being brandished. If the justice system did not manage to get justice for this survivor, it's no wonder that women or men raped by acquaintances or partners, using coercion or threats instead of a weapon or countless other scenarios are not able to get justice. Clearly, something is wrong with the system if such a clear case cannot get a conviction.

Many of the comments on the original NY Times article say something along the lines of "Why was her rapist texting her? She must have known him and just decided to call rape."

To that, I'll relay the words of another commenter:

"hjo4: Rapists get off on power and control. Being able to call his victim, wantonly confess to his crime, and insist that she accept his apology for violating her is right in line with that. Rapists take all sorts of risks such as taking trophies from victims, harassing them, using the same neighborhood as his hunting grounds all in spite of it increasing his chances of getting caught."

Read the article here.

Apology for Harassment Claims

2010-10-29T16:45:00.004-04:00

Attached is an article about a sexual harassment incident which occurred nearly two decades ago, but has recently resurfaced. The story is that in 1991, Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas was accused of sexual harassment by Anita Hill, one of his employees. Earlier this month, Clarence's wife Virginia left a message on Anita Hill's answering machine requesting an apology and explanation.

The particulars are enclosed in the following article:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/19/AR2010101907062.html

MSU Basketball Players Not Charged For Sexual Assault

2010-10-25T20:24:00.004-04:00

Here is the article.

I was surprised by the decision not to prosecute in this case with the statements from the one basketball player said about the other player"'despite her reluctance and statements that she did not want to continue.'" To me this and the survivors statements about the incident seem like enough evidence to say there was coercion. What are your thoughts?

Ex-Footballer Blames the Victim

2010-10-05T11:34:00.004-04:00

An Australian former athlete has posted comments on Twitter blaming a survivor for her assault.

Via Jezebel:
http://jezebel.com/5655942/ex+footballer-blames-the-victim++via-twitter++in-alleged-assault

Fears of rape in Kenya's slums 'trap women'

2010-10-01T17:32:00.003-04:00

High rates of rape in Kenya has forced many women to avoid public places, including public toilets. This has led to serious sanitation problems, as well as disease. Who says sexual assault is not a community issue?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10540379

Male CNN reporter comes out as a survivor.

2010-09-28T14:59:00.004-04:00

This is really amazing and brave. A CNN reporter covering the Bishop Eddie Long sexual abuse allegations comes out as a survivor of childhood sexual abuse.

Link via Feministing.com:
http://feministing.com/2010/09/27/cnns-don-lemon-does-courageous-reporting-on-male-sexual-abuse/

Al Gore a Rapist? Yeah Right, says the media

2010-07-20T13:21:00.003-04:00

We're all familiar with Al - the one who "really" won the election, the guy who claims he invented he internet, the global warming activist, and the butt of South Park's jokes. But above all, his image is squeaky clean. He cares about the environment, he won a Grammy & an Emmy, plus a whole slew of other accolades and he even poked fun at himself on Saturday Night Live.

So the recent news of sexual assault allegations sound pretty ridiculous, especially in a rape-culture where you blame the victim, and she's probably lying anyway. In the linked article, the author makes many valid points about how the media should be reporting sexual assault allegations. They shouldn't be making jokes, they shouldn't run an article called "3 reasons why it probably isn't true" and they shouldn't perpetuate this perception of the rapist-in-the-dark alley. Friedman hits the nail on the head - male rapists are fathers, brothers, policeman, teachers, doctors, friends and any other average Joe moniker. Instead of villainizing yet another woman who dares to come forth with her story, the media should focus on deeper reasons as to why Gore, or any man, would do such a thing. Or, at the very least, write an impartial piece.

http://www.thenation.com/article/37642/how-media-should-treat-sexual-assault-allegations-against-al-gore

Female Condom in the News

2010-06-21T10:39:00.002-04:00

What are you thoughts on the female condom?

Via CNN

Auctioning Virginity--Empowering?

2010-06-13T21:14:00.004-04:00

A while ago I was watching Oprah and there was a woman who was deciding to auction off her virginity to the highest bidder to make some quick cash. This woman had just graduated college as a Women's Studies major and claimed that selling her virginity to the highest paying man was her own idea of empowerment and feminism. Would selling your virginity for hundreds of thousands of dollars make you feel empowered? Let me know your thoughts!

-SAPAC Volunteer, Senior

Here's a link via Huffington Post...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/01/12/natalie-dylan-auctions-of_n_157329.html

Well This is Disgusting...

2010-06-12T11:27:00.002-04:00

Here's a link from CNN about a Brazilian man who has been accused of having children with two of his own daughters. What's worse is that he is defending himself by saying that the affairs, which started when the girls were 12 and 14, were consensual.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/06/11/brazil.incest.case/index.html?eref=igoogle_cnn

Apparently, the UK doesn't like Chris Brown Either

2010-06-08T18:16:00.001-04:00

Check out this CNN link!

http://www.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/Music/06/08/chris.brown.uk.ban/index.html?hpt=Sbin

Men Who Abuse Think Others Do Too--From Feministing

2010-05-15T21:24:00.001-04:00

http://www.feministing.com/archives/021197.html

Elizabeth Hasselbeck and Blaming a Stalking Survivor for What She Chooses To Wear...

2010-05-06T13:10:00.003-04:00

Hi all,

On The View this week Elizabeth Hasselbeck was criticized for her comments regarding one of the participants on Dancing With The Stars. Please see the following news report from CNN:

http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/showbiz/2010/05/05/sbt.hasselbeck.andrews.cnn?iref=allsearch

All the more reason why our educational efforts are so important! There's still so much work to do!

-Amy B.

Leadership Connection 2010

2010-05-05T22:59:00.002-04:00

Hello SAPAC!! Carley, Stephanie, Chris, and I are currently at Leadership Connection 2010 at Michigania, and we want to let you know we have met a lot of cool people and brainstormed a lot of new ideas. We're excited to learn more in the next couple of days and even more excited to share this all with you when we return to Ann Arbor!

Please share your goals for 2010-2011 with us!! We can't wait to hear your input!!

GET PUMPED.

Peace, love, and SAPAC,

Amalia (and Carley and Chris and Stephanie)

New SAPAC Director Announced by DSA

2010-04-28T17:36:00.002-04:00

Laura Blake Jones, the Dean of Students @ U of M, recently announced the Division's decision on who the new SAPAC director will be. Holly Burmeister has accepted the offer and will officially begin work on campus on June 9. Holly is currently working as the Director of the Student Wellness Center at New York City College of Technology and has held other related positions within community crisis centers, social service agencies and the Women’s Prison Association in New York City. From 2002-2006 she worked as a Graduate Instructor of Writing @ U of M.

We are excited to FINALLY have a SAPAC director chosen and ready to make some things happen!

"Immodest" Dressing Causes Earthquakes

2010-04-24T18:11:00.004-04:00

So, a few days ago, an acting prayer leader in Tehran, Hojatoleslam Kazem Sedighi, was quoted as saying:

"Many women who do not dress modestly ... lead young men astray, corrupt their chastity and spread adultery in society, which (consequently) increases earthquakes."

Here's the link to the original article from Associated Press about the statement:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5inJDPJiXU9k0tYQetNGUhTCNqAcgD9F698N00

Here is the one of the major responses, a movement dubbed "boobquake," a day for the women of the world to dress however they would like, regardless of earthquake risk:

http://www.blaghag.com/2010/04/quick-clarification-about-boobquake.html

Here is the facebook group:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=116336578385346&ref=mf

For me, this quote is obviously misguided and misogynistic. The response, to me, seems kind of awesome, especially since it is so popular. It really raises awareness about sexism in general.

What do you guys think?

Sexual Assault Prevention Tips Guaranteed to Work!

2010-04-19T22:16:00.002-04:00

1. Don't put drugs in people's drinks in order to control their behavior.

2. When you see someone walking by themselves, leave them alone!

3. If you pull over to help someone with car problems, remember not to assault them!

4. NEVER open an unlocked door or window uninvited.

5. If you are in an elevator and someone else gets in, DON'T ASSAULT THEM!

6. Remember, people go to the laundry room to do their laundry, do not attempt to molest someone who is alone in a laundry room.

7. USE THE BUDDY SYSTEM! If you are not able to stop yourself from assaulting people, ask a friend to stay with you while you are in public.

8. Always be honest with people! Don't pretend to be a caring friend in order to gain the trust of someone you want to assault. Consider telling them you plan to assault them. If you don't communicate your intentions, the other person may take that as a sign that you do not plan to rape them.

9. Don't forget: you can't have sex with someone unless they are awake!

10. Carry a whistle! If you are worried you might assault someone "on accident" you can hand it to the person you are with, so they can blow it if you do.

When I first came across this list in one of my classes I only read the title. My SAPAC alarm bells started ringing, and I prepared a rant about how these 'prevention strategies' do not truly address the root of the problem. As I read the list, however, my alarm quieted. Though these 'tips' are funny, they serve to highlight why sexual assault happens. It is no the product of an individual failing to follow a set list of guidelines, rather it is a conscious choice on the part of the assailant to violate another person. This list demonstrates how society tends to blame survivors and act leniently towards perpetrators.

Thoughts?

rEVOLUTION rECAP

2010-04-18T12:40:00.004-04:00

Another big thank you to everyone who was a part of the fifth annual rEVOLUTION: Making Art for Change. It was our largest show ever with more artwork and a bigger audience than we've had in previous years.

rEV was started 5 years ago as the senior thesis of Emily Kripitz, a former SAPAC NPA Co-Coord. Although Emily wasn't able to attend the show this year, we are sure she would be proud of the way SAPAC has continued and expanded her ideas.

Next year, rEVOLUTION might me moving to the Duderstadt gallery on North Campus for a more professional looking venue. Thoughts?

Check out some pictures below!

Networking, Publicity, & Activism Volunteers

Men's Activism Program Co-Coordinators

Peer Education Volunteers

2 Very Different Ways to Promote Ending Sexual Violence

2010-04-08T22:13:00.005-04:00

The internet can be a window to understanding, or just more of the same tiresome sexist and sexually violent crap posing as ways to build "awareness." In a rape-culture ridden society, it is far too often the latter.

Kiely Williams, former Disney Cheetah Girl and even more formerly, member of girl-group 3LW, has come out with a new single called "Spectacular." The song is about going out one night, getting reallllllly drunk and having sex. It's all very confusing and you can't remember much but hey, the "sex was spectacular." Shockingly enough, part of the chorus repeats: "Ass up, clothes off, broke off, dozed off". The music video is graphic, badly-made, and features a scantily clad Williams cooing about having Spectacular drunk sex. But wait a second, before any feminist rebuke can be formulated! Upon the admonishment Williams has received for the video, she released a statement:

"ATTENTION: I am an actor and performer. I have been so since my first role in a television pilot at five years old. I played a character when I was a Cheetah Girl. I am playing a character in the music video for the song Spectacular, as I did in the Cheetah Girl movies. Young women across the country get intoxicated and have unprotected sex. That's a fact. I recorded the song to bring attention to this frighteningly prevalent activity. It is absurd to infer or suggest that I am condoning this behavior.

Are Lady Gaga and Beyonce advocating murder with the Telephone video? Of, course not. Was Rihanna encouraging suicide with Russian Roulette? No. Was Madonna suggesting that young unmarried girls get pregnant with Papa Dont Preach? I dont think so. Is Academy Award winner Monique a proponent of incest because of her portrayal of Mary in the movie Precious. Clearly, the answer is no.

I wrote Spectacular and made the video to bring attention to a serious womens health and safety issue. Please don't shoot the messenger."

What's interesting is that she puts messages from the film "Precious" in the same category as the Lady Gaga and Beyonce "Telephone" video - both are filled with isms, but guess which of the two glamorizes those isms? Here is her video.

However, it isn't all bad out here on the interweb. There is a very funny, extremely effective new cartoon about realistic ways to stand up to sexual violence. Via Sociological Images:

Monica C., who teaches ethnic studies and works with survivors of interpersonal violence, sent in this 9-minute satirical video (posted at Consent Turns Me On) she created for Sexual Assault Awareness Month. It highlights the way that rape prevention campaigns often put the onus on women to avoid being raped, providing lists of things to avoid doing (that basically add up to never doing anything where a man is present, ever), rather than focusing on educating men about not raping women.

The video is awesome and really well done. It hearkens to mind the film "Robots" with its industrial animation. Check it out, and always use a media-literate eye when filtering through what promotes sexual violence and what promotes ending it.

Interesting NY Times article

2010-04-07T19:06:00.002-04:00

This is an interesting article about a woman who did a lot of work writing baseball history but received almost no credit, but is finally being recognized. Though it doesn't really have anything to do with sexual violence, it is still interesting to see how women have been viewed and treated through history, especially in regards to sports history, where women have continually been discriminated against.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/07/sports/baseball/07sabr.html?ref=sports

Internet Stalker Video

2010-04-07T19:01:00.002-04:00

Some of you may have seen this, but it's a YouTube video parody from the popular song Bedrock. It pokes fun of internet or "Facebook" stalking, something that has become all too common in everyday language.

Check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8v2HRLs84Q

rEVOLUTION Opening Night a Success!

2010-04-03T17:01:00.003-04:00

Thanks to everyone who came out this past Wednesday night for the opening of the 5th annual rEVOLUTION: making art for change. The room was absolutely packed! Also, the NPA volunteers would like to give a special thanks to Ignacia Moreno, Assistant Attorney General and Susan Williams, a representative from the DOJ's Office on Violence Against Women, for attending the event!

SAPAC Student Coordinator Recognized for Outstanding Campus Impact

2010-03-30T09:37:00.004-04:00

Alayna Schreier, one of the Peer Education Co-coordinators, has been nominated through the University of Michigan's Ginsberg Center to receive the Rosalie Ginsberg Award for Community Service & Social Action's Outstanding Campus Impact Award. This award is, obviously, highly selective and given to students who have demonstrated excellence in creating, developing, or sustaining opportunities for community service/social action and learning.

We are honored that Alayna has represented SAPAC so well the last four years.

Congrats Alayna!

India Draft Bill

2010-03-29T21:18:00.002-04:00

So I found this article online a little while ago. It discusses India's proposal of a draft bill dealing with the sphere of what is considered sexual assault, the severity of punishment for rape, and the idea of sexual assault as gender neutral.

I was shocked by some of the facts and statistics presented in this article. Every fifty four minutes, a woman is raped in India; yet, only thirty six percent end up behind bars. In addition, women are often times raped in their pursuit to seek help, which is terrifying.

I found this article to be very interesting, especially considering that it is from the perspective of another country. The issue of sexual assault is a very prevalent, very real problem, and it is very interesting to observe the efforts of other countries to spread awareness and take action.

http://www.ndtv.com/news/india/sexual-assault-to-replace-rape-in-ipc-17855.php

--Persis

Republicans For Rape....?

2010-03-29T15:31:00.007-04:00

I came across this site a while ago, and I'm not entirely sure how I feel about it: http://www.republicansforrape.org/

While the site is satirical and was created by a liberal, they are being incredibly bold in the approach they are taking in getting their point across. One blog, for example, reads: "Being a 'victim' of rape is, at best, a minor inconvenience and can be acceptably swept under the rug. Binding arbitration can and does deliver sufficient remedies for 'victims' of gang rapes so breathtaking that the victim requires reconstructive surgery. I can't provide any examples of restitution because the proceedings of such cases are kept secret. There's nothing wrong with that. In fact, concealing these rapes from the public is the only suitable way to talk about them. Rape techniques are trade secrets of the rapist – sexual intellectual property – and they deserve protection."

The site seems to have been created as an attack on the 30 senators who voted against Al Franken's amendment to the Senate Defense appropriations bill. You can read about some of the controversy surrounding this amendment here: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=105153315

At the bottom of republicansforrape.org, there is a disclaimer that reads: This website is (mostly) satire. Its creators do not endorse rape nor do they oppose anti-rape legislation.

...mostly satire?? What is that supposed to mean?

The site's creator may be well-intentioned, but are they going a bit far? What do you think?

-Marie

Supporting Incarcerated Women

2010-03-28T16:40:00.005-04:00

SAPAC is not my only volunteer extra-curricular activity. I also volunteer with Safe House Center. I'm currently a member of the Sexual Assault Response Team, and have cross trained as a co-facilitator for support groups.

Currently, Safe House is piloting a new support group at the Huron Valley Women's Correctional Facility, and I'm assisting as a facilitator for Friday morning groups. The group is a 4 week support/didactic group, essentially DV 101, with safety planning and coping skills thrown into the mix. March 26 was our orientation session, which turned out to be fabulous.

The women are all thrilled that we are providing this group for them, and we received many comments about how important it is for them to receive this education and develop bonds with one another.

At first I was nervous about this. We had been told that the 'inmates' can be 'manipulating' and will 'try to push our buttons.' We questioned how this is different from everyday life. The language used to describe these women equated them to children, which was unappealing at best, but we dealt with it. Honestly, the women I've interacted with so far have been wonderful and very grateful. They have also been honest with us; I think it helps that we are not part of the correctional facility and that we go in with a supportive non-judgmental attitude.

So, I'm looking forward to this support group, and will keep you posted on how it's going. Obviously, confidentiality is of utmost importance, so no specific details. However, I will give my impressions on how successful the group is and the feedback we get from the women.

~Jen

U.S. Maternal Death Rates on the Rise

2010-03-28T16:07:00.003-04:00

As part of my PE continuing education, and as a nursing student interested in women's health, I found the recent reports on maternal death rates in the U.S. to be shocking. The following information is from Amnesty International and UK Guardian.

Maternal death rates have doubled since the 1980s
6.6/100,000 women in 1987
13.3/100,000 women in 2006
The U.S. is worse than 40 other countries including most industrialized nations

The women most at risk:
Native American and African American women who live in poverty and are uninsured
Amnesty International reports that these women are "put at risk due to neglect"

1:4,800 is the risk of dying in childbirth in the U.S.
Best countries: Ireland, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Italy and Greece

International effort to decrease the maternal death rate in developing countries
Women Deliver conference in Washington D.C. brainstormed about these issues
Taken up by Hillary Rodham Clinton and Sarah Brown (UK)

Health care reform does not address systemic problems, discrimination, or lack of accountability
Amnesty International is pushing President Obama to set up a maternal health office to

address these issues directly

34,000 women in the U.S. experience a "near miss" during delivery every year
A "near miss" means that these women came close to dying, but were rescued

1:4 women don't receive antenatal (prenatal) checkups
1:3 African American and Native American women are without antenatal (prenatal) care

1/3 of U.S. deliveries are completed via C-section
This is twice the rate than the World Health Organization recommends
Risk of death is 3x greater with C-section than with vaginal delivery

Nearly 13 million women of reproductive age (1:5) are without health insurance
Minorities account for 50% of the 1:5 rate

In California, the death rate went from 5.6/100,000 to 16.9/100,000 in the past decade
Most common causes of death: hemorrhage, deep vein thrombosis (clots), and underlying

cardiac disease

Amnesty International completed the report as part of their "Demand Dignity" campaign "to end human rights violations that drive and deepen global poverty"

As a future health care professional, I feel we can do so much better than this. The newly passed health care legislation may perhaps assist in quelling some of these issues, but I don't know when it will take effect. Perhaps the increase in maternal death rate can be linked to higher risk pregnancies: increase rates of overweight/obesity in women, diabetes, heart disease and bearing children at an older age. However, women should be allowed to have great prenatal care, and complications of pregnancy should be prevented. How can you prevent these complications if prenatal care is difficult to access? At the very least, stores like Meijer are providing free prenatal vitamins to low income women, but you need a prescription to get the vitamins.

It's obvious more primary prevention needs to be established in this country, with better access to health care for pregnant women.

The Amnesty International Executive Director, Larry Cox, summed it up nicely:

"Good maternal care should not be considered a luxury available only to those who can access the best hospitals and the best doctors. Women should not die in the richest country on earth from preventable complications and emergencies."

~Jen

V-day in Bangladesh

2010-03-24T15:49:00.002-04:00

Zafar Sobhan writes an op-ed piece in Bangladesh's The Daily Star about the first-ever screening of Eve Ensler's "The Vagina Monologues" during Dhaka's V-day event. He makes interesting points concerning cultural issues about women's rights that the viewing of "The Vagina Monologues" brings to light.

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/story-details.php?nid=613

Helping Male SA Survivors

2010-03-18T23:45:00.002-04:00

Here is an interesting post on the Feministing Community blog about helping male survivors of Sexual Assault...

http://community.feministing.com/2010/03/how-can-i-help-a-male-sex-assa.html#comments

Sexual Assault on College Campuses Takes the Media Spotlight...

2010-03-18T16:01:00.004-04:00

Hi all,

SAPAC staff and students have noticed that several news reports have been commenting on the ineffective way that sexual assault is being handled on college campuses across the US. Here are some of the programs and articles:

NPR Report on Talk of The Nation from December 3rd, 2009:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=121057891

Which is part of a bigger "special series" that NPR is doing:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124073905

and most recently, The Washington Post:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/12/AR2010031201792.html

Most of these reference this study by the The Center for Public Integrity:
http://www.publicintegrity.org/investigations/campus_assault/

What are some ways that we could use this media attention to educate our campus community? Do you feel UofM handles sexual assault well? What could we be doing better?

-Amy B.

You Belong With Me: Queer Version

2010-03-15T19:56:00.001-04:00

Check out this video to Taylor Swift's song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQ95z6ywcBY

Any thoughts?

CBS rejects gay-oriented ad yet again

2010-03-14T20:09:00.001-04:00

Hilary Duff and Wanda Sykes recently fronted a new ad campaign to address the use of derogatory and homophobic vernacular, specifically with regards to the saying, “that’s so gay.” The Think Before You Speak public service announcements seek to educate adolescents’ about the negative impact that their language can have on others. Unfortunately, CBS refused to air the public service announcements during the Super Bowl. This is the second consecutive year that CBS has rejected a gay-oriented advertisement, and yet they accepted a pro-life advertisement that ran during the Super Bowl this year. Check out the ads below and share your thoughts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVicCD8FmMs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrJrw5ZZfRU

Attorney General Coming to U of M!

2010-03-11T14:56:00.002-05:00

On March 31, the Attorney General's Office is visiting U of M, and, in particular, SAPAC. During their visit, they are going to come to the opening of the 5th Annual rEVOLUTION: Making Art for Change.

Please see the following link for more info!

http://blogs.usdoj.gov/blog/archives/609

typical college rapist

2010-03-09T13:48:00.000-05:00

NPR seems to be the news source that puts information out there! Here is an article that describes what the typical college rapist is and debunks the myth that it's usually some guy that made a mistake.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124272157&sc=emaf

-E.D.

NPR Investigation on Campus Rapes

2010-03-05T10:17:00.003-05:00

NPR has recently begun an investigation into campus rapes to shed some light on misleading and stereotypical beliefs that often surround the crime. Some of the major myths (such as who is committing the crime and what kind of options are available for survivors) are being debunked on a national scale, or at least that is what is being attempted. This is a great series that is still continuing to be updated so you can read online or listen on the radio! The investigation is shining light on some of the real barriers survivors of rape and sexual assault experience everyday. The NPR team addresses the danger of the current sexual assault stereotypes and aims to change some of the common misconceptions. There is also a big emphasis on proactive bystanders!

Check it out.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124073905

SafeHouse Center's Upcoming Training

2010-02-25T22:10:00.003-05:00

SafeHouse Center, Washtenaw County's SA/DV Center, is now accepting applications for its upcoming Spring Training! I encourage you to check out the awesome things SafeHouse volunteers do!

Here are the training dates:

Fri, March 12, 2010 - 5:30pm - 9:30pm
Sat, March 13, 2010 - 9am - 6pm
Sun, March 14, 2010 - 9am - 6pm
Fri, March 26, 2010 - 5:30pm - 9:30pm
Sat, March 27, 2010 - 9am - 6pm
Sun, March 28, 2010 - 2pm - 6pm

For more information about how to get involved, please visit www.safehousecenter.org!

-Crosby

We Need More Men in the Movement!

2010-02-25T21:58:00.002-05:00

http://jezebel.com/5355724/what-if-keeping-women-safe-meant-educating-men

This post quotes Jaclyn Friedman, Jessica Valenti's co-editor of Yes Means Yes. The post's picture really speaks to me...

Colleges Failing to Help Victims of Assault

2010-02-25T21:57:00.000-05:00

This video was originally posted on Jezebel.

"Failed Justice Leaves Rape Victim Nowhere To Turn"

2010-02-25T16:28:00.002-05:00

I heard this on NPR while I was looking for something to watch on the TV Guide Channel on the UM Cable Network...The story continues tomorrow...

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124052847

"Blaming the Victim, Princeton Edition"

2010-02-23T22:09:00.009-05:00

An op-ed piece was included in the Daily Princetonian on February 22, 2010 titled "The real 'Sex on a Saturday night'". Written by a Princeton freshman, it explains why the author believes women are at fault for their own rapes. The author uses a friend's personal experience as an example, and "evidence", for her article. The article is filled with blatant, disgusting victim-blaming.

The blog "Jezebel" has a great summary and discussion of the article.

http://jezebel.com/5478360/she-knew-what-would-happen-if-she-started-drinking-blaming-the-victim-princeton-edition?skyline=true&s=i

There are currently 216 comments on the actual article (the most viewed on the Daily Princetonian's website), some for the article and the author, and some against:

http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/2010/02/22/25251/

Thankfully, the Sexual Harassment/Assault Advising, Resources and Education (SHARE) peer advisers and SpeakOut advocates that also attend Princeton responded with this article (the second most viewed on the Daily Princetonian's site):

http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/2010/02/23/25270/

Experiencing Rape Does Not Equal Getting Your Car Stolen

2010-02-23T20:44:00.003-05:00

According to a lawmakers in Kansas, getting raped is like getting your car stolen.

Wow.

http://thinkprogress.org/2010/02/18/kansas-rape-auto/

Justin Lookadoo.

2010-02-22T19:46:00.003-05:00

On February 9th, Justin Lookadoo gave an hour long speech at Grand Blanc High School. The main focus of his speech was aimed at the girls at our school, telling them to be smart about boys and avoid bad relationships. These are good points, however, his way of going about explaining them and his jokes were completely sexist and out of line. He said such things as, "Women are bad drivers," and "All guys only think about sex." He continued his slander for his entire speaking hour, masquerading his sexism in jokes and life lessons. Some of the stuff he said was true, but only for a select few. Everything he said he applied to an entire gender. Guys are this. Girls are that. He neglected the fact that everyone is different, and gender roles are a thing of the past. Even on his website, he has dating rules. My personal favorite is number 6 for the girls, "Be mysterious. Dateable girls know how to shut up. They don’t monopolize the conversation. They don’t tell everyone everything about themselves. They save some for later. They listen more than they gab." Apparently, shutting up is a good quality in a girl. I told my girlfriend this rule, and asked her to be quiet so I could talk, and I got the death stare. I wonder why...

His web site is covered in religious propaganda about gender roles that are as archaic as humanity. How comforting is it that in a society where religion and relationships are growing farther apart for good reasons that public speakers are preaching the unification of them? In his book Dateable, he says that a girl should only date a Christian boy, and that if a boy talks to a girl for more than an hour on the phone, he's the one (because communication is the only judge of how good a relationship is).

I was personally offended at his entire speech because I have spent my life trying to fight the socially accepted idea that men are pigs. I have treated every girl I have met with respect. I have a healthy relationship with my girlfriend where we are equals and don't hold to the normal gender roles. He said high school relationships were not worthwhile, because only 5% of them end up in a lasting marriage, and that you shouldn't put anything into their high school relationship because you'll get hurt if you do; therefore don't put yourself emotionally in a relationship, don't spend time with a person, etc. He failed to see the point of gaining an experience by being in a relationship in high school, to see how relationships work, working past problems with your significant other, and learning how to treat your significant other.

Justin Lookadoo wasted an hour of 2,500 kids' time trying to explain that men are sex-hungry pigs, and women are stupid and naive. His speech did not belong in this day and age. He was ignorant and childish.

SAPAC in the Daily

2010-02-17T22:39:00.001-05:00

Check out an article from today's Michigan Daily mentioning SAPAC.

http://www.michigandaily.com/content/greeks-raise-awareness-sexual-assault-community

Jessica Valenti Event--Huge Success!

2010-02-17T19:59:00.003-05:00

For those of you who were not at last night's event, it was AWESOME. With the help of UUAP Women's Forum, MSA, and the Center for Ethics in Public Life, we were able to bring Jessica Valenti to campus last night. Jessica is the founder of feministing.com, a feminist blog and online community, and the author of several books including Full Frontal Feminism: A Young Woman's Guide to Why Feminism Matters; He's a Stud, She's a Slut, and 49 Other Double Standards Every Woman Should Know; and Yes Means Yes: Visions of Female Sexual Power and a World Without Rape.

The title of Jessica's presentation was "Purity, sexism, feminism, and power." Following the 45 minute presentation, in which Jessica talked about feminism in general and current feminist activism. Jessica also discussed her latest book The Purity Myth: How America's Obsessions with Virginity is Hurting Young Women. Following her presentation, there was a question/answer session facilitated by a SAPAC volunteer and a book signing.

As one of the people responsible for the funding and planning this event, I am so happy at how it turned out! Jessica was truly an amazing speaker for SAPAC to bring, and we hope she can visit U of M in the future.

Again, thanks to everyone who came- all 350 of you! And most importantly, thank you Jessica!

Post your comments and thoughts about the event and Jessica's presentation below!

-Crosby

Comedy Not So Comedic

2010-02-15T21:41:00.005-05:00

While watching random comedies for my Psych 250 media project paper, someone suggested watching 30 Rock to me. Primetime comedies are not exactly my cup-of-tea, but I had to watch 3 different shows. I pulled up my coding sheet and began to watch last weeks episode, Anna Howard Shaw Day. Low and behold, 2 very very disturbing things popped out at me. First, they were joking about the fact that one of the actresses had a stalker and how disturbed she was that he had stopped contacting her. The show went even further to have a meeting between the actress and her stalker, where they basically compared this "no more stalking" to a relationship break-up. Secondly, in describing a possible date for valentine's day for the network executive, Liz Lemon pipes up that the woman was on "Maxium's 'I'd rape that' 100."

This was my first time watching this show, and needless to say, it will probably be my last. I'm sure that this is not a pervasive theme in the plot line. What has happen to the old days of comedy? With a little slap here (3 stooges) or silly pranks (MASH)? Please, someone tell me this isn't normal...

The New Math on Campus?

2010-02-14T14:54:00.003-05:00

An article entitled "The New Math on Campus" appeared in last Sunday's New York Times. The author of the piece deplored the "shortage of male students" on college campuses in light of affirmative action as well as speculated about what this supposed "shortage" could mean for female students when it comes to the dating scene. There are so so SO many things wrong with this article that it's hard to know where to start. Besides being extremely heteronormative and misogynistic, the article depicts women as shallow, desperate vultures who only care about "snagging" a man. Apparently a woman's main purpose for attaining a college education is not to get a good job, but to find a good husband. And forget about being happy and confident on your own -- according to this article, being single is worse than having swine flu. Because, let's face it, it's impossible to be self-fulfilled and content without a boyfriend, right ladies?

I feel like this article is particularly relevant to the University of Michigan campus community because, for one, we're college students, so these issues directly affect us. Further, the article bemoans the current college "hook-up" culture, an area which feminist Jessica Valenti heavily focuses on in her book, "The Purity Myth" (and also gave a really awesome speech about in a debate against the director of the Center for Marriage and Families at the Institute for American Values... I've linked to it below.) Just in case you've been living under a rock, Jessica Valenti will be coming to speak at the University of Michigan this Tuesday at 7:30, so make sure you check it out!

After you read the New York Times article and develop your own opinions, I would also like to direct you towards popular news media blog Gawker's response to the article. Where many of us would probably label the Times' article as guilty of creating a "crisis" where no crisis exists as well as extremely misogynist, the Gawker correspondent argues the opposite: he claims that the article is misandrist (a concept which I personally do not believe even exists in the context of privilege, but you know, I guess arguing that misandry exists is the nature of privilege! Score one for Feminism 101!)

There are obviously a lot of people who feel very strongly about this topic, as evidenced by the over 150 comments in response to the New York Times article thus far. The Gawker response to the original article has generated even more comments than that. From my observations, the feedback around this topic is pretty thought-provoking and sometimes frustrating; however, it is still illustrative of some of the issues and misconceptions that most directly affect our cause.

Links:

New York Times Article: "The New Math On Campus"
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/07/fashion/07campus.html?ref=fashion&pagewanted=all

Gawker Article: "The Dance-Card Problem: College Girls Outnumber College Guys, Misandrist Chaos Ensues"
http://gawker.com/5466193/the-dance+card-problem-college-girls-outnumber-college-guys-misandrist-chaos-ensues

Extra Credit: Jessica Valenti's "Speechifying: So-called hook up culture and the anti-feminists who love it"
http://www.feministing.com/archives/013806.html#more

P.S. - While this has nothing to do with the actual article that appears in the New York Times, as an additional point, I would just like you all to note the section of the paper that the article appears in: Fashion & Style. This is yet another example of the long-standing news media tradition of relegating any article that is at all related to women to the frivolous and seemingly unimportant "Style" section. If you've never noticed this before, I guarantee that you'll start noticing it now -- a lot of reputable publications do it. Because of course the only section in the newspaper that us silly wimminz care about is "Fashion & Style"!

- Katey Sill