Sexual assault week features family's story of rape victim
By Susannah McCauley
The Flat Hat
As a part of Sexual Assault Awareness Week, sororities Delta Delta Delta and Alpha Chi Omega, in conjunction with the University Centers Activities Board and the Inter-Sorority Council, sponsored an event Wednesday entitled Kristin's Story. Andrea Cooper, a resident of Littletown, Colo., has worked with the Tri Delt and Alpha Chi national sorority groups since 1998, when she created the Kristin's Story program. For the program, Cooper spoke of her daughter, Kristin Cooper, and Kristin's depression, rape and suicide to an audience at 7 p.m. in the University Center Commonwealth room.
According to Andrea, Kristin began her freshman year at Baker University in 1995, which had 980 students at that time. New Year's Eve the next year, Kristin's parents returned to their house from a party, surprised that their daughter had returned home for the night. Her mother walked into their family room, from which music was blaring, and found her daughter seemingly asleep on the couch. Andrea panicked, thinking that her daughter had passed out due to alcohol consumption, and then saw the gun in Kristin's hand.
Andrea found the only clues to what lead her only daughter to this fatal decision in Kristin's journal. Andrea had known for the last few months that Kristin had been suffering from a break-up with a college man whom she said she loved. Through questioning her daughter's friends, Andrea learned that her daughter had been a rape victim and, like 90 percent of rape victims, did not tell the police.
According to her mother, one of the major problems Kristin incurred in dealing with her rape was that she never talked to a counselor or the police, internalizing the shame and guilt she felt. Andrea also cited that statistically, 46 percent of acquaintance-rape victims and 27 percent of stranger-rape victims never tell anyone. Even Kristin's friends who recognized her depression were not able to alleviate her suffering.
Andrea Cooper now travels to campuses around the country, supported financially from the grants that National Greek Societies, such as Tri Delt and Alpha Chi, give for expenses. She tells her family's experience and gives advice she has learned from her personal knowledge and research into the areas of depression, suicide and sexual aggression.
"I was not able to help my daughter in her depression," Andrea said. "I only hope that I can simply help one person in the room."
Among others, some common signs of depression are: tiredness and fatigue, thoughts of suicide, excessive crying or irritability, poor concentration, sleep or eating problems, a loss of interest in activities and a sense of helplessness.
Many states have more specified laws concerning sexual assault other than the definition of rape as forcing an individual to have sexual relations. If a woman under the influence of drugs or alcohol is unable to give consent, that constitutes rape as well. The Federal Bureau of Investigation estimates that one in every three females may be raped in her lifetime. A national survey indicates that one in every four college women are victims of rape or attempted rape. Andrea is fighting for a more wide-spread knowledge of rape, depression and suicide so that fewer people suffer similar experiences.
A general survey of the audience showed that nearly 90 percent of people there knew someone who had committed or had tried to commit suicide. Calling a counselor or the police, if immediate action is necessary, is recommended if someone threatens suicide.
Andrea Cooper suggested that, in dealing with a rape victim, one be a good listener, offer shelter, be attainable to the person and be patient and understanding to him or her. A book she recommends with advice for both men and women who have encountered rape, or are helping someone else in their struggle, is "Recovering from Rape" by Linda E. Ledray.
An Alpha Chi sister said that her national sorority and Tri Delt had particular interest in supporting this program because Kristin was an Alpha Chi and her mother was a Tri Delt. The two sororities provided local resources for information: the Avalon Crisis Center for Woman and Rape Victims at 258-5022; the William and Mary Counseling Center, Blow Hall at x3620; and William and Mary Campus Police at x4596.
Online information is accessible at www.Depression.com, www.depression.org and www.911rape.org
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