Parallels in sexual violence trends on Ohio State Campus are seen throughout time. The 1972 Lantern article, “Women Beware; Rape Increase” highlights that in the first quarter of 1972 rape reports on OSU campus  increased by 22.9 percent. Similarly, the 1980 Lantern article titled, “Assaults Occur in Home: Area Rape Reports Rise”, reports rape reports on campus have increased by 55 percent over that last year, compared to the 12 percent increase city-wide.

The articles both stated that the rise in temperatures do increase the number of rape instances, but the ’80 article states they are “not eliminated by winter conditions”. Where these articles differed, however, are their focuses; the ’80s article stresses on the suspects, where most perpetrators are acquaintances and that most are not convicted, whereas the ’72 article stresses self-defense techniques and safety tips for women. There are clear shifts in how the issue of rape on campus should be solved in just these two short pieces.

Works Cited

Staebler, Bill, and Lelan Woodmansee. “Women Beware; Rapes Increases.” The Lantern [Columbus] 17 July 1972: 3. Print.

Kowalski, Beth. “Assaults Occur at Home: Area Rape Reports Rise.” The Lantern [Columbus] 6 Mar. 1980: 1. Print.

“…On December 18 [1963], a headless, limbless torso was washed up on a beach near Los Angeles was identified as that of Toni E. Gorman, a local feminist who had been visiting California…”, was the opening line of a Lantern article written in January of 1974. The article was announcing the opening of the Toni Gorman Rape Crisis Center by Women Against Rape (WAR), which stemmed from the anger of women feeling that violence on campus was not adequately dealt with, particularly violence against women.¹

A WAR member stated Gorman was particularly angered by the lack of a thorough investigation of the summer of 1972 drowning of Barbara Thomas, a black 17-year-old who was swimming with five white men and was found dead with a black eye, but no charges were made and the case was ruled as an accidental drowning.² The Rape Crisis Center was to aid survivors of all violent crimes, not limited to rape.¹

The Toni Gorman Rape Crisis Center would provide several services, including a escort to the police station and hospital, as well as a hotline to aid survivors of violent crimes. Educational programs on self-defense and safety would be provided by WAR. Also, there were to be 50 designated homes around campus, marked as a “Women’s Distress Center”, to provide refuge if a woman is harassed in the street.¹

Works Cited

1. Anderson, Jeff. “Feminist Group to Open Center for Rape Victims.” The Lantern [Columbus] 8 Jan. 1974: 3. Print.
2. Johnson, Leola. “Vigil Held for Drowned Girl.” The Lantern [Columbus] 14 Aug. 1972: 1. Print.

The headline above, “Women beware; Rapes Increase” was used in a 1972 Lantern article. The piece served as a warning for women to keep alert, as sexual assault rates increase when temperatures rise (the article was written in July). What was striking about the article was the opening statistic—from 1957 to 1972, rape cases had increased by 532.9 per cent in Columbus. On OSU campus, rape in the first quarter rape increased by 22.9 percent, according to FBI reports.

Norma Walker, a campus police  officer featured in the article, stated that ‘”three-fourths of all rape cases could be avoided if the victims were more alert and cautious,”‘ and that, ‘”Women are too trusting and naïve”‘. She recommended that women walk in groups, avoid poorly lit areas, lock their windows, scream if attacked, and use their bodies as weapons. Two pictures are featured that demonstrate self-defense techniques if attacked, as shown below.

self-defense technique simulated by Columbus Police

second self-defense technique simulated by Columbus Police

Works Cited

Staebler, Bill, and Lelan Woodmansee. “Women Beware; Rapes Increases.” The Lantern [Columbus] 17 July 1972: 3. Print.

Photo of the strike at OSU (courtesy of The Ohio State University)

In the Spring of 1971, the Columbus Women’s Liberation presented a list of demands, titled “Comments on the Strike and on the Women’s Demands,” to The Ohio State University administration that attempted to outline the discriminatory practices OSU should (or, rather, must) strive to change. The list included demands such as equal hiring and pay practices, free child care for OSU affiliated people, the implementation of women’s studies related courses, and the prioritization of black students’ demands.

Also included in the list of demands were issues dealing with sexual health and sexual violence on campus. There was a need for a centralized Planned Parenthood on campus, a place where women are able to address sexual health needs in confidence. This demand was in response to the failures of The University Health Center, which apparently did not always keep confidentiality, and had barriers in obtaining contraceptives and related information from the center.

Under demand number one, “No Woman’s Education should be limited by her biological functions” , the idea of self-defense classes that counted towards physical education credit was also highlighted, “due to the University’s failure to provide adequate protection for women students” (Pg. 2). High rates of sexual violence cases on campus had informed this demand for safety.

In The Lantern article outlying the demands, written by a former Ohio State Women’s Liberation member, specifically challenges women’s representation within OSU affiliated publications, statements and advertisements, which is addressed more broadly in the list of demands. Specifically, Ohio State’s Women’s Liberation called for “an end to written statements and advertisements that depict women in narrow stereotypic roles or as sex objects in any University sponsored newspapers or publications”.

It is important to note that only some of Women’s Liberation Demands, almost half a century ago, have been met by the Ohio State University to this day.

Here are the full PDF versions of Women’s Demands and Black Student’s Demands:

womens_demands, aa_student_demands

Works Cited

Strike Photo and Demand Flyers. Digital image. Spring of Dessent: The 1970 OSU Student Demonstrations. The Ohio State University, n.d. Web. 15 Sept. 2016. <https://library.osu.edu/sites/exhibits/1970demonstrations/printmaterials.htm>.

Quinn, Karen. “Women’s Demands.” The Lantern [Columbus] 11 May 1971: 4. Print.

1. Mary Margaret Andrews

In 1962, Mary Margaret Andrews, a Columbus Business School student, was raped and murdered near the Ohio State University campus in off-campus housing. Although far from the only case of sexual violence in the area, her case  in particular sparked safety concerns from students, as well as city and university officials.¹

The increase in safety efforts following Andrews’s case were largely focused on environmental changes. Increase of lighting in the streets became a primary concern of students and administration. Likewise, an increase of university police presence was suggested to promote safety on campus. About three years after the death of Andrews, The Lantern announced a four-part series on OSU’s “coed safety”.

Titled “Coed Safety Problems: What Can be Done?”, the first part of the series mentions similar crimes in nature following Andrews’s case, illustrating the fact that OSU ranks high in crime and “Ohio State coeds know it”. Women’s perspectives were accounted for in the piece, where some felt that off and on campus lighting was a major issue. Others disagreed, blaming student government inaction in regards to “cleaning up the surrounding neighborhoods” (as if sexual violence perpetrators could not possibly reside on campus).¹ The Lantern piece stressed  the need of brightly lit streets, in order to give individuals a greater sense of security when walking alone at night, without much emphasis on other factors as to why sexual violence occurs so frequently on campus.¹

The second article of The Lantern series  announces the $1.9 million bond issue passed to fund citywide lighting. Howard J. Stemm, superintendent of the Department of Electricity, states that of the 1,000 miles of streets in Columbus, only 50 miles were considered adequately lit. He continues to say that students volunteered to obtain permission from property owners around campus to allow city employees to trim trees in order to prevent lights from being blocked by foliage. The author prefaces the article with a photo with the caption, “a girl walking alone near parked cars is a prime target for molesters…”.²

2. Picture used in Lantern series with aforementioned caption

 

First hand experience with assault is shared in part three, where a former Lantern reporter recalls the evening where she was attacked by a man on her way to the newsroom. After he put his hand on her mouth from behind, she fights him, he quickly runs away, and she is unable to identify him because she did not see his face. The former reporter criticizes the poor lighting on campus, and uplift’s Dean Conaway’s advice about walking with at least one other person at night.³

The Women’s Self-Government Association (WGSA) proposal of goals to promote coed safety comprised the final part of The Lantern series. WGSA mentions three goals: to increase lighting, particularly off-campus, where it is “dimply lit”, and “lined with hedges that offer excellent protection for molesters”; and  to educate coeds and the  campus community about assault prevention on campus, through things like pamphlets with safety tips for incoming freshman.⁴

 

Works Cited

1. Huddy, John. “Coed Safety Problems: What Can Be Done?” The Lantern [Columbus] 27 Jan. 1965, Front Page sec.: 1. Online Database.

http://digital.olivesoftware.com/olive/apa/ohio/SharedView.Article.aspx?href=OHI%2F1965%2F01%2F27&id=Ar00100&sk=3402DD49

2.Collins, Mike. “New Lights Planned for Columbus City Streets.” The Lantern [Columbus] 28 Jan. 1965, Front Page sec.: 1. Online Database.

http://digital.olivesoftware.com/olive/apa/ohio/SharedView.Article.aspx?href=OHI%2F1965%2F01%2F28&id=Ar00104&sk=732FF152

3. Anonymous Former Lantern Staffer. “Coed Recalls Frightening Experience.” The Lantern [Columbus] 29 Jan. 1965, Front Page sec.: 1. Online Database.

http://digital.olivesoftware.com/olive/apa/ohio/SharedView.Article.aspx?href=OHI%2F1965%2F01%2F29&id=Ar00106&sk=978547BC

4.Forman, Sue. “WGSA’s Goal Is Coed Safety Education.” The Lantern [Columbus] 1 Feb. 1965, Front Page sec.: 1. Online Database.

http://digital.olivesoftware.com/olive/apa/ohio/SharedView.Article.aspx?href=OHI%2F1965%2F02%2F01&id=Ar00103&sk=67E1DE6A

Photos:

1.http://www.columbusmonthly.com/content/stories/2014/02/new-life-for-a-cold-case.html

2.http://digital.olivesoftware.com/olive/apa/ohio/SharedView.Article.aspx?href=OHI%2F1965%2F01%2F28&id=Ar00104&sk=732FF152