Maroon

              The MAROON Loyola University New Orleans VOL. 81, NO. 6 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2002 MAROON.LOYNO.EDU Universities join forces to Take Back the Night By Muetze Heilmer Staff writer Women will never be safe from rape until they are fully integrated into society, Susanne Dietzel. Director of the Loyola Women's Resource Center, said at Wednesday's Take Back the Night. "As women and men take back the night, we have to remind ourselves that it is liberty taking back the night," Dietzel said. "Women and men need to walk the dark streets as equals, only then can the night be theirs too." Members of the Uptown community met in Loyola's Marquette horseshoe for the annual gathering, which includes speeches and a march from the Horseshoe to Tulane's Pocket Park The events began at 7 p.m. with an opening ritual, music and speakers. There was a candle lighting ceremony in honor of Leanne Joy Knot, a Tulane student who was raped and murdered in 1997. The group then marched from the Horseshoe to Pocket Park where several women and men shared their personal stories of rape and sexual violence. Events began with a song from Judy Gorman, a singer/songwriter/lecturer who had been invited to speak and perform at Loyola earlier this week. Gorman shared her experience with events from all over the country such as Take Back the Night. "Your being here is very powerful." she said. "Much more powerful than you realize . . . there are many people standing here with us tonight, even though we can't see them." The featured speaker for the night was Cynthia Dent, a Tulane graduate student in social work. She shared her personal experiences with sexual violence and her healing process. She encouraged students to stand up against rape and to change our attitudes towards rape. At Pocket Park, representatives from Loyola and Tulane student organizations made public statements that they will work to prevent sexual violence and to support survivors of sexual violence. Stephanie Margherio. English junior and president of Loyola's chapter of Amnesty International said she and her group attended because it is important to their campaign. They consider rape and domestic violence to be torture, and events like Take Back the Night are relevant to their campaign, she said. There was an open mic moderated by Tulane's Rape Emergency Awareness & Coping Hotline (REACH). Survivors of sexual violence were invited to come forward and talk. Loyola student Gwen Sisco, drama sophomore, closed the night with a poem. Many women discussed the importance that speaking out has for them. "Holding it in will only help the rapist with the control that he has over you. Do not be afraid to speak out. I am a survivor, and I invite you to take back the night," said Dent. "Every time I stand up here it feels so good. . . we have to keep speaking. . . it is all these women speaking that keeps me alive," said Lee Barclay, a speaker at the event. Although the media were asked not to record during this portion of the night, Barclay gave VOICES IN THE NIGHT Loyola and Tulane University students gathered in Tulane's Pocket Park carrying candles to represent the victims of sexual abuse during Take Back the Night. Women question health services By Pam Kauveiykul Assistant News editor Catholic teachings and students needs clash on issue of birth control Some Loyola students are concerned because the Student Health Center does not provide birth control and condoms. According to an Aug. 20 Times-Picayune article, Loyola is bound by the guidelines developed by the Committee on Doctrine of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, which ban contraception, contraception counseling. abortion, some assistedreproduction techniques and other services, even if it does not require schools to follow these rules. According to the article, Vicki McNeil, the administrative director for student health services at Loyola, said the university has treated students for sexually transmitted diseases and that care and concern for the individual is one of the values of a Jesuit education. "But there are limits. We will meet with a student regarding birth control, but we do not issue contraception," she said. "Occasionally, if birth control is necessary, we will refer the student to someone outside the school. If a student gets pregnant, we recommend counseling with the university minister or with an appropriate physician for pre-natal care." McNeil was unavailable for comment for The Maroon. Michelle Theriot, the Nurse Health Loyola students give support to Moratorium Campaign By David Bianco Contributing writer You've seen them around campus in purple armbands and at tables in the Danna Center. Perhaps you even know a few of them. Students with The Moratorium Campaign are becoming a visible presence on Loyola's campus, and they've gotten more vocal about their cause. So what is their cause? The Moratorium Campaign was begun by Sister Helen Prejean, CSJ, a Louisiana native, who worked with death row inmates guilty of capital crimes. Her work with three men on Angola's death row is the basis for her book "Dead Man Walking," which inspired the 1995 movie of the same name. In her book. Prejean wrote how she soon became convinced that the death penalty is wrong, and that it is applied unfairly in the United States. The Moratorium Campaign, part of a larger and growing movement across the United States, seeks an immediate stay on executions.According to the Touro Law Center websie, the campaign is not about getting convicted killers off the hook. It is composed of people for and against the death penalty who seek to make changes within the system. Jeff Guhin, sociology senior, who has been working with the campaign, says "life without parole" is the alternative. "We can't remove vengeance and human error from the system," says Teresa Meisz, Director of the Moratorium Campaign This sign hangs outside The Moratoruum Campaign office. The Campaign's headquarters is on Maple Street, near Hilary Street. The group, created by Sr. Helen Prejean, CSJ, hopes to convince legislators to enstate a moratorium on executions. STAFF PHOTO BY NICOLE HAASE See TAKE BACK, Page 3 See HEALTH, Page 3 See MORATORIUM, Page 3 ggfgfg Maple and Freret Streets offer varied options for students LIFE AND TIMES, pg.9 Nothin' But net 1 ~' * ,~i . ,7' ~ l http://maroon.loyno.edu CHECK THE WEB Volleyball remains #1 in GCAC SPORTS, pg. 5 "" '"WH flr vtt &