Peer Groups Deserved Early Rape Statistic Access

To the editors:

While The Crimson asks how the release of privileged information could be of use to student groups operating out University Health Servies (UHS), I

wonder how the dissemination of preliminary findings--which have not been organized or standardized in accordance with the national study--would be of use to the student body (Editorial, Oct. 25).

There was a purpose to making peer educators party to the UHS statistics about sexual assault at Harvard before releasing them to the public. Our job, in serving the Harvard community, is to think very hard about rape and sexual assault and determine ways in which to teach Harvard students--who generally believe themselves to be invulnerable to such tragedies--how to be responsible and thoughtful in a college environment

where these things are experienced.

Privileged access to the UHS report was advantageous in that it enabled us

to do our job better, knowing more accurately the scope of the issue we are dealing with. Equipped with this information, peer educators are more comprehensively trained and are, thus, more helpful when we turn to the students in outreach. We are glad that you realize and find it worth to reporting that "Rape Happens at Harvard." Meanwhile, Peer Relations and Date Rape Education, Response, The Coalition Against Sexual Violence and other peer groups do not find this to be news, as we have built our mission around and have personally committed ourselves to increasing awareness of this fact.

In light of this, it appears that The Crimson's complaints are unfounded

and are intended only to excite tension between the Harvard community and UHS. In reality, it is UHS--and not your incendiary coverage of the issue--that is working to be of benefit to the community.

Gila Jones 02

Oct. 25, 2000

The writer is the co-Director of Peer Relations and Date Rape Education.

Rape Assault At Harvard Not to be Underestimated

To the editors:

The preliminary release of University Health Services statistics on sexual assault does not provide any information with which to potentially laud Harvard, as The Crimson suggests it might (Editorial, Oct. 25). On the contrary, the survey tells us that well over one percent of female undergraduates, equivalent to 52 students, indicated that they had been raped over the last year.

The problem with The Crimson editorial comes with the suggestion that

because the over one percent who reported being raped in the last year is

lower than some national numbers that we should be pleased that our community is safer than average.

But the more likely possibility is that because rape is such an ignored topic on this campus, people are less likely to report being raped even on

anonymous surveys. We have no mandatory rape orientation program, no sexual assault services coordinator, poorly trained sexual assault and

sexual harassment advisors and a bizantine administrative board process

which seriously jeopardizes women who bring forward complaints.

So we should not be at all surprised that fewer women at Harvard answer

that they have been raped than at schools where this topic is dealt with in

a more open, serious, and productive way.

The Crimson editorial is right that this demonstrates a problem of rape

reporting, since so many fewer rapes are reported than actually occur. But the problem runs much deeper, and I hope that rather than simply calling for better reporting, The Crimson will in the future add its voice to those calling for better rape prevention and education programs, better services for rape survivors, and a fairer administrative board process for everyone.

David B. Orr 01

Oct. 25, 2000

The writer is a member of Coalition Against Sexual Violence and the

Undergraduate Council Sexual Violence Initiative.