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September 13, 2002
Most
states have a “no means no” law. If a person says no and his/her partner
continues, it’s rape. In all states, rape is a first-degree felony. One
out of four people will be raped within their lifetime. Two-thirds of all rapes
are by people the victims know.
Virginia Wesleyan held an acquaintance rape awareness program called PlayRights in the Convocation Center on Sept. 5 at 7:30 p.m. VWC’s first year students were asked to attend for their freshman seminar class or by their RA for a hall program. However, freshmen weren’t the only ones to attend the play.
“The only way to abuse sex is not to have any,” said Will, one of the characters from the program entitled “One Night.” The play is one about four college seniors on their last night together after classes have ended. The group of friends, Jessica, Maggie, Calvin and Will, sit at Will’s home drinking and reminiscing about the times they’ve had together. Later in the evening Jessica and Will go up to his bedroom alone. Will then forces sex on her and the play takes a serious tone. “Not all rapes are strangers in dark alleys,” said Maggie earlier in the play.
In fact two-thirds of all rapes are acquaintance rapes, meaning the victim knew the rapist. This same program, performed by EQUALOGY, is seen in 14 states from Maine to Virginia. The professional theater company was founded by workers in a rape crisis center for battered women in Pennsylvania. Dave, whose character is Calvin, is embarking on his first tour. He joined the company after hearing about it from Chris, a college friend who had already done his first tour.
“It’s amazing to see the reactions,” said Dave. “There are always one or two people who come up and disclose [personal stories] to Heather or Kate after the shows.” Chris, who plays the part of Will, is on his second tour after working on the spring tour two years ago. Kate, who plays Maggie, joined the tour last February. This is her second tour after participating in the spring tour earlier this year. “We rehearse for about a week before we go on the road, “ said Kate. “They do a lot of prep work with us during the rehearsal period.”
Heather, who plays Jessica, is one of the company’s founders. She worked at the shelter for battered women for six years and has been putting on plays about these issues for nearly 12 years now. VWC had counselors on hand to talk to with students after the program. The performers reiterated the use of VWC Student Counseling Services Office. Counselors are on call through either Residence Life or Security 24 hours a day.
Most
people come to college to find their career, not a "fall back plan."
But sophomore Amanda Simon is doing exactly that. In a few years she will have
a B.A. in psychology but music is her dream. Simon came to VWC from Kellam High
School, a large school in Virginia Beach. Because of that, she sees VWC as "more
individualized." Here she is a member of Wesleyan Singers, Wesleyan Ambassadors
and College Choir. Simon said the music is religious based and would like to
see Wesleyan break away from religious and classical to other genres of music.
Simon began singing when she was 4-years-old and has not stopped. "It is something I have done forever," Simon said. Her father wrote music reviews for Rev, a music review magazine that is no longer published. Simon also wrote reviews when she was working at Volume C.D. Exchange. Working there gave her an appreciation of all types of music. However her most significant life experience has nothing to do with music. In the summer of 2001, Simon and a friend traveled to Brazil, Germany and London.
"I really learned from that," Simon said. Her family is from Germany and she had never had the opportunity to go there until the summer. Simon was able to identify with her past and really see and understand where her family came from. She did the usual sightseeing and shopping, and also visited friends that she met as exchange students at her high school.
Over the summer Simon stayed busy by teaching herself to play the guitar and recording some cover songs on her computer. She showed off her hard work by playing one of the songs she had recorded. "Goodbye to You" by Michelle Branch blasted through her speakers. She had two of her friends singing the chorus with her. While the song played, Simon sat on her leopard print bedspread with her knees to her chin. She quietly hummed the song to herself.
Simon enjoys watching people sing and perform which is one of the reasons she likes the show American Idol. "It gives someone a chance that wouldn't normally have one," Simon said. "At first I wasn't so sure of the singers but now, some of them are really impressive." To Simon, performing had become merely a trend with all of the boy and girl bands coming out. She said that the groups were being forced to sing a song and do a dance without their creativity going into it at all.
"Now it's more individualized," Simon said. "The performers out there now are more talented." Simon works part-time as a receptionist at Elements of Beauty, a hair salon. They have hired her to sing at Christmas parties and also refer her to customers that need a singer at weddings and funerals. "Funerals are a hard atmosphere." Simon said, "You don't work the crowd there." After college, Simon is going to try her luck with psychology but if that doesn't work she is going into the music industry. "My love is for music," Simon said. "I want to perform, sing, and write it."
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