Friday,March17, 1995 Vol. XLI, No. 20 Cabrini College Radnor, Pa. 19087
Date rape:
Babes on·the beach!
Speakerbringspersonal experienceto ·campus mix a few daysbeforeanddecidedthat it mightbe romanticif theywentbackto her She rememberedthinking''wow" roomanddancedawhile.Thatiswhatthey when shefirstsawhimduring"Monty did. Katie and Peter were only half way Python"at freshmanorientation. through thesecondsongwhen Peterstarted Afewdayslater,shecarefullytimed tugging at.the black dress that her mother throwingawayhertrashinthecafeteria made while she was still in high school. at the exact same time that he did Katie remembered thinking, "My hopingof meetinghim. It worked. mother will kill me if this dress gets tom," Aftersomesmalltalk,theydiscovered that the shareda courseand de- The thoughtof rapeneverevenedentered her mind. cidedto studytogether. KatiepulledawayfromPeter.Shetold Withina few weeks,the two were phoco supphed by Mall Lindstrom him "no." Shewasveryupset,butshestill togethereveryday,for hoursat a time. (left to right) Seniors Steve McGowan, Rob Risse, a native of Cancun, John Feketics, Mark liked him, and did not want to ruin the date He was smart,funny,nice and an athHodlofski, Frank Petrane and Mike Tims enjoy a week in Cancun during spring break. lete. It was everythingthat she really or their relationship. "Besides," Katie wanted in a man. Or at least so she recalled,"lthoughtlmademypointc!ear." Koestnerseesthe rapeas a movie. Afterafewminutes,Katiefeltcomfort- mouth.Iremembertastingtheblood The police questionedKatie for thought. This is thestoryof KatieKoestner, ableagain. Peter reassuredKatiethathe in my mouth and almostnothing hours.''I feltlikeI was on trial,"Katie Shewatchestheeventsframeby frame said. After the districtattorneymet overandover. "l oftenwonderwhere a victimof daterapeinthebeginningof would not do anythingthat she did not else," Katiesaid. When he was done,he got up, withKatie,hetoldherthatsheonlyhad I would be now if I had been less herfreshmanyearatWilliamandMary want him to. After a pillowfight, they a 15 percent chance of winning her interestedin his feelingsand our new dressed,thankedKatieand left. College.Katierecalledher ordealat a endedup on Katie'sbed kissing. "I wentto themirrorin thebath- case, and that he would not take the relationshipandmoreinterestedin my ''Everythingwas OK until I realized discussionheld on March 14, in the safety,"Koestnersaid ''I wished I thatl couldn'tmovemy legs,thenI began roomandI wasn'tthere.Atleastthe case. XavierGreatRoom. At a schoolhearing,Peter admitted communicatedbetter." old Katie was gone," Katie reShe describeda romanticdinner to panic,"Katiesaid The second word of advicewas that Katie said no but that she then "I told him to get off, I told him no," called. with "Peter," and the walk back to Katie tried not to think about stoppedsayingno, leadinghim to be- responsibility. Koestnerreferred to campus. She recalledthinkingthat Katiesaid."Hejustkepttellingmetorelax, whathadhappened.Thatnightshe lievethat she had changedher mind. drugsandalcohol.In80perc:entofrape attendingone of the fraternityparties and that I thinktoo much." The Deanfound"Peter''guiltyand cases, one or both of the people inKatiecried. It worked. madeup someexcuseaboutstudyafterdinnermightbe a bad ideasince Peterlet Katieup and thenbeganyell- ing allnightto avoidhaving to get suspendedhim fromher dorm. '"That volvedwereintoxicated. the two were dressed up, and people mightlaugh. She madea slowsong ffl88lbet. ffta.«c:dhct nw .... wnmg. ax...._bed. Soooiww. spect.Fiveto 8 percentof menwillbe Katietriedto reasonwith him. She tried cryinguncontrollably. involvedin some sort of a sexualasThe dean even told Katie that Peter Aftertellingher RA, Dave,her explainingwhy she did not want to have sault. Koestnersaidthat even though was a nice man and that perhaps after story, she was taken to the nurse. sex. She wantedhim to understand. not all men are rapists,there are too she had gotten over everything, they The nurse gave Katie a sleeping pill Outof frustration,''Peter''gaveup and manymenjokingaboutrape."Women could get back together. and told her to go home and get a said that he was going to go to bed. To arenotpiecesof meat,"Koestnersaid. That was when teasing started. good night sleep. She said that Katie's swprise,he climbedintoher bed "If you heara rapejokerI beg you not Everyone stared at her. Many yelled things would look much better in insteadof leaving.She was shocked. obscenities.Therewereindecentmes- to laugh." Shethoughtaboutleavingandgoingto the morning. Rape survivorscommonlysuffer sagesall over the wallsand buildings She did not feelbetter. sleep somewhereelse, but she was new The nextday,KatieandherRA on the campus. Over 2,000 people from low self esteem. "Pleasedon't andshedidnotknowwhereto go. Feeling Hetold signedapetitiontryingtokeepthepress makethatworse," Koestnersaid. that she had no other options,Katie de- wenttothedeanofstudents. Koestnerdecidedto speakout becidedthatthesafestthingthatshecoulddo Katiethatshe shouldgo homeand fromprintingKatie'sstory. cause shewas outragedby the stateof It has been over four years since the think about what happened. He was to stayup all night things. ''Thereweremanytimeswhen rape. Koestner has told her story to said that she was making a "serious Katierememberedthe sun roming up I felt like quitting.There have even Tirnemagazine andHBOwhichmade charge that may ruin someone's andthinkingthatthingswouldbefinenow. been times when I feltliketellingwomen the movie, ''No Visible Bruises." She we._ Soon afterthat, Peterwoke up. He saw '"' " to make sure that have bruisesif they told her story to everyone who would ''What about my life?," Katie Katieinthecomeroftheroom.Heclaimed listen,from the local nightlynews to get raped,"Koestnersaid. "At least to be sorry. He saidthat he did not know thought. Soonrumorsspreadaroundcam- "Oprah."Now,Koestnertravelsacross thentheywouldhavea fightingchance why he had actedthe way he did Katie, pus. PeopleweresayingthatKatie the countryspeakingto both colleges in the courtsystem." wantingto believehim,did. Rape is a felony. Only one in 10 and highschools. He offeredto rubherback.Hesaidthat was accusingPeter of rape. "I wantsomethingpositivetocome women report rape and out of Uiose R,ape,Katie thought.She still shewouldfallrightasleep.Shewentover to herbed andhe beganrubbingherback. never consideredthat. Katiewent outof whathappenedtotne. I hopeto numbers,only one out of 100 will be Withina fewminutes,Peterbegankissing tothecollegemanualandlookedup be a source of strengthfor someone prosecuted. Accordingto Koestner,rapeisnota Katie's neck. This upsether again. She rape and sexual assault. "It de- else,"Koestnersaid. Koestnergave threewords of ad- women thing. Rape is a crime of scribedexactlywhat happenedto wantedhimoff. vice. The first was communication. control,not of sex. The nextthingshe knew, Peter rolled me," Katiesaid. photoby CarolineCroley ''It's stillhardandI am stillfighting Katiewenttothedeanagainand l(oestnerexplainedthat communicaover andpinnedher againstthewall. ''He Katie Koestner, a victim of felt like he weighed 100) pounds,"she insistedthat he take some action. tionis key. '"Theworldwillnot end if everyday.Forso long,peopleblamed date rape, spoke on Tues.day, He finallyagreedandtheninsisted you leavea guy,but it may be devas- me, so therefor a whileso did I. Now recalled. March 14, at 8 p.m., in Xavier I knowdifferently,"Koestnersaid. tatedif you stay." "Iclenchedmyfistsandbitaholeinmy thatshe go to thepolice. by Laura Testa
assistant news editor
l
Great Room.
Inside ... Week at a Glance.-~. pg.4
NEWS
Check out the full page spread on·experiences in Appalachia.
SPORTS
pg.12
Cavs compete in NCAA tourney.
FEATURES pg.5 Students fight M.S. during Superthon Weekend.
FRIDAY tl3-6 p.m. Social
Hour in the gathering area.
March 17 to·23
SATURDAY SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAYTHURSDAY
t,/Noon Mass in t,/8 a.m. Mass in the chapel. "Canning" for Exhibit opening the chapel. the chapel. t,/6-9 p.m. Student t,/ 6-9 p.m. Multiple Sclerosis reception. t,/ 6-9 p.m. Phonathon in the donations. t,/6 p.m. Mass in Student Student Phonathon in the Phonathon in the atrium. tl8-10 p.m. the chapel. "Bouncing Boxing" t,/8p.m. Concerto atrium. atrium. Admission is $2. Soloists, in the tl7p.m. ESA chapel. . Gospelrama in the WCGAat -
tll0-2 p.m.
t,/ 3-5 p.m. Art
tl8 a.m. Mass in
a/Noon Mass in the chapel. t,/6-9 p.m. Student Phonathon in the atrium. t,/9:30
p.m.Comedian Becky Pedago in the atrium.
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