Women’s center sponsors weekly meetings
By Michelle Brence
Of the Emerald
A small room on the third
floor of the EMU offers
guidance and support to
women. The Women’s Referral
and Resource Center, directed
by Leah Juniper, Laura Romano
and Chris Gonzalez, is “a place
for women to get together and
talk. The University doesn’t
provide that — it's very male
oriented,” says Romano.
“We’re trying to break down
as many barriers as possible bet
ween women, because we need
to unite if we want to find our
strength,” adds Gonzalez.
The center sponsors a
women’s support group, which
will meet at the office every
Wednesday from 4 p.m. to 6
p.m. The first meeting last week
was met with no public
response. Romano, Gonzalez,
and practicum student Joanne
Hurt, who were all present for
the meeting, attributed the lack
of participation to people not
knowing the center’s location.
Approximately 60 percent of
Laura Romano
the women who take advantage
of the center are University
students, while the remaining
40 percent are from the Eugene
community, Romano and Gon
zalez say. They agree that up to
15 women drop by and between
10 and 15 women call in to the
center each day.
“Most of what we do get are
calls for counseling and legal
aid.” Romano says.
A film festival, a symposium
and a series of speakers and
workshops are all on the
center’s agenda for the 1984-85
academic year. One of the
center’s major efforts this year
however, w'ill be making the
campus a safer place through
the Campus Rape Project,
Romano says.
Through this project the
center will attempt to have
night classes relocated to more
visible areas, and have them of
fered as an alternative schedul
ing to the same classes offered
during the day. The center also
plans to organize an escort ser
vice operated by women.
“It seems somewhat con
tradictory. calling strange men
to come and protect you from
other strange men,” Romano
says.
The directors of the center
have arranged to meet with
University Pres. Paul Olum in
the near future, to determine
what the University’s liability is
in rape cases that occur on
campus.
Brown-bag lunches are held
for women who want to visit in
the Women’s Referral and
Resource Center every Monday.
Wednesday and Friday from
11:30 a.m. lo 1:30 p.m. For
more information, call the
center at 686-3327. The center
is located at Room 336, EMU,
and is open Monday through
Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Continued from Page 1
usually very frightened because
they’ve either been witnesses to
violent behavior or victims of
abuse themselves, says
Oldham. ‘'We’re higher than
the national average in child
abuse,” she adds.
College students find
themselves victims of haltering
too, says Oldham. She estimates
10 percent of the women who
come to the shelter are students.
“In addition, a University
study done a couple of years ago
showed dating violence to be
pretty darned high,” Oldham
Since the first American women’s shelter
opened in 1976, the homes have become an
alternative for many women who want to
make a choice between escaping or re
maining in an abusive home.
She will become
their most deadly weapon.
As long as they can make
her fall in love.
MANE KEATON
THE
LITTLE
DRUMMER
GIRL
FREE
SCREENING
DATE: October 16
A GEORGE ROY HILL FILM
DIANE KEATON
in JOHN LE CARRE'S
"THE LITTLE DRUMMER GIRL"
YORGO VOYAGIS KLAUS KINSKI
Music by DAVE GRUSIN
TIME: 8:00 PM
LOCATION:
Valley River Twin Cinema
1077 Valley River Drive
Eugene
Executive Producer PATRICK KELLEY
Screenplay by LORING MANDEL
Based on the novel by JOHN LE CARRE
Produced by ROBERT L. CRAWFORD
Directed by GEORGE ROY HILL
Sponsored by: EMU Cultural
Forum, Univ. of Oregon
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says. “And many more will
become victims later in life.
Most victims are between the
ages of 18 and 39 with an
average age of 29. and many
have children, says Oldham.
Barbara, the once battered
University student, finally left
her abusive mate.“But not until.
I heard a lot of promises about
how he'd change, how he’d see
a counselor. It would be alright'
for a while, but then it would
get worse than before, “says’
Barbara.
Oldham say“s this is typical of
abusers. “They say they’re, in
therapy, they've stopped drink
ing. they realize they can't con
tinue the same way. But after
she comes back, the therapy is
dropped, or the drinking begins
again." .
Crisis volunteers suggest
there are some characteristics
that may warn a woman of a
potential abuser. These traits in-.
elude: a habit of making fun of
other people, being traditional
and authoritarian, being emo
tionally dependent, an inability
to delay gratification, insatiable
ego needs, and low self-esteem.
In the meantime.
Womans pace needs help, says
Oldham. “Volunteers are need
ed to help with children,
answer phones, work as ad
vocates. and help with
housekeeping,” she adds. In
terested persons should contact
Womanspace at 4H5-6513.
"Our main concern is to let
people know we’re here and we
can help" says Cochran.
RESUMES
10% off
with current
student ID
300 EMU • 686-5511