Letters

letters

AGENDA is interested in receiving letters from readers. Please keep them short and include your name and phone number (not for publication). Send letters to: AGENDA, 220 S. Main St, Ann Arbor, Ml 48104.

AACAT Feels Impact

We're already feeling an impact as a result of your superb article about the community media services available at Ann Arbor Community Access Television. Many thanks to you for the well written and highly informative piece in this month's AGENDA ["A2 Community Access Television: Use It!" by Phillis Engelbert, Oct., 1994].

As AACAT begins its 21st year this month, we continue to look forward to the challenge of providing the Ann Arbor community with a forum to speak out and create. Your article was comprehensive and thoroughly researched. You have done a powerful job of helping us to tell our story!

Thanks again to the AGENDA staff for your support of AACAT.

Lucy Ann Visovatt  PROGRAM MANAGER, AACAT

Assault Crisis Center: For The Record

I have been meaning to congratulate you on your thorough article on the Ann Arbor serial rapist that appeared in the Sept.  994 issue of AGENDA ["A2's Summer of '94: 10 Top Stories," by Phillis Engelbert]. Since it appears that the rapist has struck again, it is imperative that our community continue to receive accurate and reliable information from the print media.

Because Washtenaw County is (comparatively) rich in the variety of resources available to its citizens, confusion can exist regarding which organization does what. The Assault Crisis Center is the rape crisis and counseling program for all Washtenaw County residents. Our 24-hour program provides comprehensive services to rape survivors, their family members and friends, and includes hospital accompaniment, short-term counseling, support groups, court preparation and accompaniment, police advocacy, medical and legal information, and referrals. Additionally, our community education component provides assault awareness and prevention programs to area schools and a wide variety of community groups (137 workshops in 1993 alone).

The only bit of inaccuracy in the article was the reference to the "Rape Crisis Center at 994-1616." The Assault Crisis Center IS the "Rape Crisis Center" and 994-1616 is an old (nonworking) number of ours from the late 1980s. Our current number is 483-RAPE. Although we applaud and support the much-needed work done by the Domestic Violence Project/Safe House and SOS Community Crisis Center, they are not rape crisis programs and including them in an article focused on sexual assault may be confusing to the reader. For many rape survivors, making that first phone call for help can be an especially painful act of courage. To make that call, only to be referred to another agency, can be very frustrating and upsetting.

Your voice in out community is vital. Keep up the good work.

Gloria Krys PROGRAM COORDINATOR, ASSAULT CRISIS CENTER