Date rape survivor takes her case to the media

By LaToya Lipscomb
Staff Writer

On Sept. 28 a program, co-sponsored by Residence Life, on date-rape called “No-Yes” will feature Katie Koestner.

A date-rape survivor, Koestner’s attributes include the cover of TIME magazine, a project with HBO about her story, appearing on numerous talk shows including Oprah, and talking to students at over 800 institutions. Katie Koestner graduated in 1994 Magna Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa from the University of William and Mary in Virginia.

She went public about being sexually assaulted in 1990. When she felt that William and Mary were inadequately responding to her dilemma, she decided to take her case to the media.

Since then Koestner has accomplished many things. Her programs have allowed her to travel across America sharing her story.

She has worked on a made-for-TV movie and has written and co-written several books on sexual assault and her experience with it. She has even helped to get the Campus Sexual Assault Victim’s Bill of Rights into law in 1992.

She is currently working on a book titled “Without Consent” about her years of presentations to students and the reality of sexual assault for American students today.

Redfearn feels that having Koestner speak “not only puts a face on this topic but lends credibility to the issue as well… [And because of this she believes]...that people will be more apt to attend the program.”

Koestner is a trained peer educator and sexual assault counselor who has also gone through sexual assault.

The offices of Housing and Residence Life are hoping to raise awareness on strong issues such as this to get students into an environment that they feel confident enough to talk about what they are going through and ask questions.

“No-Yes” is co-sponsored by Leadership & Service Opportunities Program, Student Health Services and Athletics, and the Department of Housing and Residence Life.