Discussion List for campus-based and allied personnel working to end gender-based violence on campus.

[Claire Kaplan <>]

I'm sure many of you have read this story, but this post was from the Women's Studies list.  Gerri Gribi's preface is so funny, that I had to post this to the listserv.  Gerri also has a great list of songs about violence against women on her website, which is generally chock-full of great resources and information.
enjoy,
Claire

Date:    Sun, 2 Nov 2003 11:45:50 -0600
From:    Gerri Gribi <>
Subject: Re: article on girls fighting back

I'd like to add that this story has a touch of irony:

St. Maria Goretti, for whom the school is named, was mortally wounded
by a neighbor who tried to sexually assault her. I know this because
as a child back in the early 1960's, I had a St. Maria Goretti
coloring book! I recall clearly that the moral of her story as
presented to our impressionable young minds was NOT that she had died
defending herself against a sexual assault (in fact, I don't recall
being told that she even HAD defended herself...or any implication
that this was a good idea.) She was a saint because she had refused
to relinquish her virginity purity.

As it says at her web site: "...she shouted, 'No, it's a sin! I will
not do it!' So Alessandro stabbed her to death. Maria forgave him and
became a saint because she loved God above all else. It was, and is,
Love's Bravest Choice."
  <http://www.mariagoretti.org>

When I heard about those kick-ass students I could only think, "You go girls!"

:-) Gerri

High School Girls Nab Suspected Flasher
Fri Oct 31,11:00 PM ET
PHILADELPHIA - About 20 Catholic school girls chased
down a man who had been flashing them near their high
school, tackled him to the ground and held him there
until police arrived, authorities said.

The students from St. Maria Goretti's High School for
Girls in South Philadelphia said the man had been
flashing students since the middle of September. He
typically hid behind a van, waited for students and
then jumped out and exposed himself, police said.

But on Thursday, store owners in the area saw the man
flashing girls and started yelling at him. The
students then chased him down the street and subdued
him with the help of a passer-by, authorities said.

Caitlin Dalin, a 14-year-old ninth-grader, said she
kicked the suspect with her school shoes. "I'm happy
he's off the street," Dalin told the Philadelphia
Daily News, adding that the suspect had exposed
himself to her twice.

The suspect was treated at the hospital for minor
injuries to his mouth.

Philadelphia police Inspector William Colarulo said
the 25-year-old suspect, whose name was not released,
is expected to face a long list of charges.

--
Gerri Gribi    
PO Box 8021  Green Bay, WI  54308
Phone & Fax (920) 437-7373
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Coordinator, Sexual Assault Education
UVA Women's Center
P.O. Box 800588
Charlottesville VA 22908-0588
434.982.2774 Voice/TTY
434.982-2901 Fax

http://sexualassault.virginia.edu