The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, April 15, 1998, Image 3

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    The Battalion
Wednesday • April 15, 1998
eclaiming the woman inside
is the moon hongs high, females look to prevent rape
By Marium Mohiuddin
Staff writer
‘ith the release of fall and summer schedule books, everybody
know finals are around the corner. From apartments, dorms,
coffee shops and the Sterling C. Evans Library, there will be no
wice where an Aggie will not be found. Day-long and late-night
tidying will sweep the campus. And as most people know,
accompanying late-night studying are the lengthy
; sijent and lonely walks back to the car, poorly-lit av-
mes and few people out and about.
During these times, should women feel threat-
led every time they have to walk back to their
|r, or every time they hear a noise? When
fmeone walks too close, should women
live (o pull out their mace in fear?
I Living in an idealistic world, women
puld not have to do this. Society should
! safe enough for anyone to live without
jar. However, living in the real world
kere is not much choice. What solu-
pns are there to remedy this problem?
Many people and organizations \
|ive pondered over many solutions to
^ese questions. The National Orga-
jzation of Women’s response is Take
lack the Night. They are saying to the
^Horld, sexual assault does exist and is
a problem everyone needs to realize,
■nderstund and help find a solution
I). They are saying to the world, •
■oman and all sexual assault victims
fill not be held captive to the night.
Kim Ngo, treasurer of N.O.W. and a
imior bioengineering major, said this is
■ strong annual tradition with people
pbming out all over the nation.
“Whether you are female, a radical or an
■ctivist, you can come to the march,” Ngo
Taid. “It is not necessarily a female event, those
Jre just stereotypes. At A&M, we have always
Have a good response of about 50 - 100 people. It
M a mixed crowd of professors, men, women and
|ommunity members.”
Ngo said this is an issue people cannot ignore and say it
not important.
“It is about feeling safe and making the streets safe for women,” she said.
|lt is about making our voices heard. If you are a woman, or even have fe-
fnale relatives then you should be concerned.”
Ngo said some have the misconception that the event is only for women,
'
t.
Nigh t
but the objective behind Take Back the Night branches out into all aspects
of the community.
“The event is open to men because rape does occur to women and to
men,” she said. “This is not a feminist issue, but a societal issue. This is for
any person who cares about the well being of others.”
Lt. Bert Kretzschmar, head of the crime prevention unit with the Uni
versity Police Department, said this event is extremely important because
a lot of people make presumptions about living in this town.
^ “People assume that because they live on campus or they
go to a university, they are sheltered,” Kretzschmar said.
“I call it a superman syndrome. They get into risky sit
uations and give off the message they are vulnerable.”
^ Kretzschmar said College Station may not be
^ Houston or Dallas, but situations always occur.
“There are simple precautions you can take,”
he said. “When dating, go with other couples.
Always be aware of alcohol and drugs be
cause they are the biggest contributors.”
I Kretzschmar said students have to remem
ber rape can happen. It can be an acquain
tance, a friend or a classmate.
“In the ’97 fiscal year, there were 2 date or
acquaintance rapes reported,” he said. “In
'93, there were 3 date or acquaintance rapes
[ reported. But you have to keep in mind that
I 1 out of 10 rapes are reported.”
Isai Gopalakrishnan, president of Aggies
Working for A Rape-free Environment and a
sophomore biology major, said this year
AWARE is cosponsoring the event with NOW.
“The nature of the event is to educate peo
ple about what goes on,” she said. “It is need
ed for this campus so it can open people’s
eyes. Students think ‘we are in college... this is
the time of our lives ... we are invincible.’”
Gopalakrishnan said we may not have big city
problems and we may not have the large numbers
of a city, but we do have sexual assault.
“Anyway you look at it, it is rape,” she said. “One
rape is equal to another and is equally damaging. There
is a problem and there has to be something done.”
Gopalakrishnan said many guys feel scared to attend
meetings or come to events like this because they feel girls
will perceive them as the aggressor.
“I don’t think guys will understand until they are threatened,”
she said. “In all honesty, it is never going to be a big deal to a lot of
people. It is never going to be like Bonfire. The people who show up know
and already understand the problem. Others need to come out and see
and hear what is going on.”
Please see Night on Page 4.
a c k
Organic art
at P'/'S’aafArts’ adder#'
By April Towery
Staffwriter
V isitors to the MSC Visual Arts Committee’s ex
hibit “Polyopsia” might have to stop for a bite to
eat afterward.
The exhibit, designed by Italian artist Ivana Candia-
go, features only organic materials and includes sculp
tures and drawings of items, such as silverware and eggs.
Fortunately for hungry art patrons, the artist is set to
host a reception in the Visual Arts Gallery on the second
floor of the MSC tonight at 7 p.m., where refreshments
will be served. She will answer questions and talk about
her work at the reception.
“My work is sedimentary, with images that slowly ap
pear much like those from an archaeological dig,” Can-
diago said in a news release. “Similarly, references to
mythology and literature may emerge.”
The exhibit, also held in the Visual Arts Gallery, has
an earth-tone quality, including mostly browns and
blues. It features a mixture of canvas, sculpture, wood
and mixed media.
Candiago, whose work has been commissioned by
the Senate of Berlin, is precise and detailed in her work.
Most of her art in “Polyopsia” is framed into sections and
portrays a theme of some sort.
One of the 19 pieces featured in the exhibit is a
mixed media called “Good Morning Jack! ” This piece is
framed into sections, giving it the appearance of a
kitchen scene.
“It’s like a cupboard, a sideboard, a table set for break
fast,” Candiago said of this work. “There is food embed
ded in wax. The tablecloth and rolled up newspaper are
there as well as a music box that plays ‘O Sole Mio.’ The
knives and forks are ready to be used. The die is about
to be cast. It is not going to be a peaceful morning.”
This piece, like all of Candiago’s, is a product of metic
ulous perfection. The drawings are sketched in detail,
the wood and oils combined to provide the illusion of a
man sitting down to breakfast.
The Visual Arts Gallery will display Candiago’s
work through May 29. The exhibit is brought to
Texas A&M by the MSC Visual Arts Committee, a
part of the Student Programs Office. The committee
promotes the visual arts to students and the com
munity and aims to increase student involvement
in arts programming and management. The com
mittee recently added an educational wing to its fa
cility, and Candiago’s exhibit is educational in itself.
The work is symbolic, ironic and has an element of
“something different.”
Candiago herself may not even be sure what will
come of the work she exhibits.
“From the sculpture, which can only be seen by re
moving the various strata, I bring out and enlarge certain
fragments,” she said. “Often they become tridimension
al, as in the series of knives, or unsettling, as in the series
of eyes, or even absurd, as in those of the eggs."
Ji
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legre £
let a
iforfl 2 '
jursof
ir the?
Concert
Woin us for an evening of fun
and festivities as Brazos Bash
Celebrates Tradition with live
performances by country’s hottest
rising stars Rick Trevino
and The Lynns.
Saturday, May 2,1998
The new Beed Arena
For more information on the Brazos Bash or
to purchase dinner tickets, please call 774-4087
or visit our web site www.brazosbash.org
(409) 268-0414
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TEXAS A&M MSC BOX OFFICE ■ FOLEY'S
I &aphic design by Tie Matthews Group
* service charge added to tickets purchased through Ticketmaster
[Proceeds help fund the development and expansion of St. Joseph Regional Rehabilitation Center.
Traditions show featuring the Aggie Wranglers, Singing Cadets, Texas A&M Symphonic Band and a laser light show.
GirU
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