Anti-Rape?

Anti-Rape?

Rape legislation is moving ahead both at the city and state levels. In Ann Arbor, Mayor James Stephenson has finally made his recommendations for the Anti-Rape Policy Advisory Board, and $65,000 is in the proposed city budget for the anti-rape program.

At the state level, a public hearing is scheduled before the Senate Judiciary Committee on a bill to totally reform Michigan rape laws. Women working on getting the bill passed are hopeful that the bill will be voted out of committee the same day as the hearing, thus bringing it to State Senate action.

WOMEN PROPOSED FOR BOARD

Under continued pressure to take action on appointing an Anti-Rape Policy Board, the mayor made his recommendations to Council on Monday, April 15. The proposed appointees are Jody Lighthammer, a member of the Mayor’s ad hoc Committee on Runaways; Marie Gilson, a registered nurse; Tanya Padgett, a city policewoman; Georgina Kish of the Women’s Crisis Center; Jan Bendor of the Women’s Task Force on Rape; Dr. Willie Moore, a research assistant in physics at U-M; and Barbara Meadows, a social worker.

Asked about the appointments, Councilwoman Carol Jones said she was “pleasantly surprised.” Council Democrats had earlier offered a resolution that included in the seven women on the board should be at least one with medical experience, at least one minority woman, one full city policewoman, and two women from community groups working on the rape problem. While Council Republicans defeated the resolution after Stephenson claimed it infringed on his authority to make appointments, the Dems recommendations have been mostly met by the currently proposed Board.

HRP Councilwoman Kathy Kozachenko also commented that the proposed Board was “better than expected.” But the HRP suggestion that the Board have representatives from each political party was not followed. Despite the fact that women from the HRP worked on and originally introduced the antirape resolution, none of them were appointed.

The Policy Board will be responsible for setting up a specific program for the city to deal with victims of rape, and to design educational programs to reduce the incidents of rape.

“More police isn’t necessarily the trick,” said Jan Ben Dor, one of the proposed appointees. “Success lies in educating the citizens.”

As to the success of the Board’s work, Ben Dor commented that she was sure everyone would make a “a sincere and genuine effort.”

“But it’s going to take a lot of time,’’ she said, “and volunteers just don’t put in 24-hours a day. The city should at least pay people.” She added that no one else has been successful in preventing crime, and she wasn’t sure seven volunteers would be either.

The city has currently proposed an initial funding of $65,000 for the program, of which $45,000 is for three new policewomen. The rest is for counseling and educational programs, and for the medical expenses of victims of rape. Ben Dor also said the police department has been putting in a lot of time checking out other rape programs. In addition, a grant application is being prepared to seek further funding. “The proposals are well-intentioned,” Ben Dor commented, “but right now, they are too police oriented.”

Council approval of the Mayor’s appointments is expected in the near future.

HEARING SET FOR LANSING

A public hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, April 23 beginning at 10 a.m. in the State Capital on a bill seeking complete reform of Michigan’s rape laws. The hearing, which will be before the five members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, is hoped to hurry the bill out of committee and on to the Senate floor. Women who have been lobbying for the bill are hopeful that it will be voted out of committee the day of the hearing. (For more on the State bill, see the March 22 SUN).

Women are being encouraged to attend the hearing, and those who can’t make it should contact their State Senators to hurry action on the bill. You can also get a complete copy of the proposed bill by asking your State Senator for a copy of Senate Bill 1207.

--Ellen Hoffman