Skip to content
Call Us Today! 212-533-4646 | MON-FRI 12PM - 4PM (EST)
DONATE
SUBSCRIBE
Search for:
About Us
Publications
FAQ
Annual Report 2023
Annual Report 2022
Annual Report 2021
Initiatives
Advocate
Educate
Cultivate
Care
News
Newsletters
Sign Up For Our Newsletter
Join UNWLA
Become a Member
Volunteer With Us
Donate to UNWLA
Members Portal
Calendar
Shop to Support Ukraine
Search for:
Print
Print Page
Download
Download Page
Download Right Page
Open
1
2-3
4-5
6-7
8-9
10-11
12-13
14-15
16-17
18-19
20-21
22-23
24-25
26-27
28-29
30-31
32-33
34-35
36-37
38-39
40
standards, one would assume that the conditions could be easily satisfied: 1) about 54% of all rapists threaten the victim with a weapon, usually a knife; 2) 12% of victims are seriously injured; 40% of vic tims are battered and bruised; 2% of rape victims are murdered; 3) studies have shown that from 30% to 17% — statics vary widely from city to city — of rapes are committed by two or more assailants. Nevertheless, convictions have not have forth coming. Juries are instructed to consider such issues as; did she scream loudly enough? did she resist force fully enough? In the case of assault, muggings and robbery, on the other hand, victims are encouraged not to resist for fear of losing their lives. Mitigating this bleak picture somewhat are some current reformist trends. Heretofore the "unmention able crime," rape has recently been the subject of imp ortant criminological studies. The data which these studies and statistical analysis uncovered have begun to make an inpact on lawyers, judges and legislators. A new understanding of rape as a subclass of aswault — rather than a provoked, sexually motivated act by a deranged or frustrated person — has led to significant legal reforms of outmod laws. The American Civil Liberities Union, traditionally concerned with the due process claims of defendents, has set a new precedent by supporting the rights of the prosecuting witness. A recent ACLU position paper stated: Rules of conducting rape trials are such in many jurisdictions that the only issue to which the jury pays any attention is the sexual purity of the prosecuting witness. Sht is rewarded for chastity and punished for lack of it and the defendent is a pawn in the game. This in not "fair" to anyone. Regardless of legislative and procedural reforms, the most important steps toward progress will come when false attitudes and popular myths about rape are exposed and discredited. Ultimately, 12 members of a jury — ordinary citizens — must decide whether a crime has or has not been committed. Hopefully, all fair- minded people will come to agree that not only the def endent, but also the prosecuting witness, deserves equal protection under the law. The most heartening recent developments indicate, in fact, that such a change in public opinion is taking place. Two volunteer, nonprofit organizations — Women Organized Against Rape (IAIOAR) — have been founded for the express purpose of combating sexual assault crimes; these groups, as well as similar ones, have branches throughout the country and are successfully undertaking crucial educational, social and political action. They provide their communities with support facilities for victims and their families; they distribute literature on self-defense and rape-prevention tactics for women and girls; they deliver lectures before interested community groups about relevant legal and medical facts. Often, they encourage victims to report the crime to the police and they make it known that this action does not necessitate pressing charges in court. If a victim decides not to proceed against her assailant — for whatever reason, such as fear of humiliation in court or retaliation for testifying — she is not required to do so; the police will, nevertheless, process information which may help them in current or future cases. The establishment of rape crisis centers has been the most promising innovation these groups have ini tiated. The first such center began operation on May 1, 1973 in Philadelphia. The WOAR center, staffed entirely by trained volunteers, was established on the premises of the Philadelphia General Hospital. They offered then, as they do now, the following service: 1) a 24-hour hotline which anyone can call and speak to a trained, sympathetic listener; 2) immediate psychological and emotional support for the victim in the emergency room of the hospital; 3) psychiatric referral services when therapy is re quested; 4) educational services, programs and publications about the subject of rape; 5) support of the victim through court proceedings. The WOAR volunteers work in close cooperation with district attorney's office, the police department and the medical community. Using the Philadelphia center as a model, other groups set rape crisis centers throughout the country. Recently, the Rape Crisis Council of Chester County in Pennsylvania announced that they will extend their services to victims of crimes other than rape. The organizers of the project hope to give support and guidance to witnesses and victims who are, more often than not, confused and intimidated by the criminal justice system. Their good-neighbor approach — perhaps the first of its kind in the country — is to provide babysitting and transportation services for victims and witnesses, one-hour notification to a witness that s/he is required at court (so that the person need not spend all day waiting around for their turn to testify, and encouragement to those who are undergoing a traumatic and possibly dangerous experience. To date, the criminal justice system has concentrated on cat ching and punishing offenders; victims have been largely ignored. The new volunteer-support projects represent community involvement in the justice system exactly where it is most needed. What began as a move ment of women helping other women may well prove to be a major revoluntionary concept in the treatment of criminals and victims of crime. Certainly positive developments will follow if the judge, the jury and the defense attorney know that the community is in the court room at the victim's side. 22 НАШЕ ЖИТТЯ, ЧЕРВЕНЬ 1976 Видання C оюзу Українок A мерики - перевидано в електронному форматі в 2012 році . A рхів C У A - Ню Йорк , Н . Й . C Ш A.
Page load link
Go to Top