COUNTYWIDE : Rape From the View of a Prosecutor

Deputy Dist. Atty. Kathleen Harper, who has prosecuted more than 50 rape cases, looked into the young faces of Orange Coast College students and found some hope.

In her discussion of how rape cases wind their way through the criminal court system, Harper said the young audience provided evidence that traditional beliefs about sexual assault cases are changing for the better.

She asked some of the same questions that she has asked potential jurors. She asked whether the students thought a woman forfeited her rights to claims of rape if she had consented to have sex in the past with the offender; she asked whether they knew how they would respond if they were raped, and if they would be surprised to know that most women do not report the crime immediately, if ever.

Although a few hands were raised to reveal some misconceptions about rape, Harper said most in the audience gave her cause for optimism.

“Our purpose is to dispel those myths,” Harper said, “and part of my job as a deputy district attorney is to educate the public.”

Harper’s talk was one of several Tuesday, and more are scheduled this week at OCC as part of an annual program to educate students about rape and sexual assault.

The program’s message is especially poignant as the students begin the school year in the wake of a spring semester in which four sexual assaults were reported on campus. In response to the attacks, the college has increased its security staff, among other measures.

The program, “Reduce the Risk: Prevention Awareness,” offers hourly sessions with topics on how alcohol and drugs can play a factor in assaults, the legal aspects of the crime, self-defense, and the social and cultural forces at work in incidences of rape.

Some teachers gave extra credit to students who went to the sessions, most of which were well-attended.

Students at a Tuesday morning session were asked questions dealing with how the sexes perceive each other. The questions are important because they define our sense of who we are, said Jan Tyler of the battered women’s shelter, Human Options, and a presenter at the session.

“My whole purpose was to get them (talking), to get them to see that there are still sexual stereotypes in society,” she said. “It’s always surprising what people say.”

During the session, Tyler asked the students whether they have ever been told to act manly or ladylike and what that meant to them. Although many in the audience said they had never felt that pressure, Tyler said she saw facial expressions from people that indicated traditional stereotypes still abound.

This sexual stereotyping, the belief that men and women have clearly defined roles and traits, has proven to be strong in abusers and rapists, she said. The crime of rape allows a man to show his power over a woman, whom he perceives as weak and inferior, she said.

“I know that men who are in abusive relationships have strong sexual stereotypes, and that’s the connection,” Tyler said. “I don’t have answers, but I just wanted people to start thinking.”