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

[Shari Pergricht <>]

During risk reduction classroom presentations, we sometimes have the 
females and males in the class list all the things they do to keep 
themselves safe, on a daily basis.  Inevitably, the females' list is pretty 
long and always include a lot of rape avoidance-related actions, while the 
males' lists are much shorter and quite different.  I have used these 
"tips" emails as an example of the types of messages that women continually 
get in our society about having to take responsibility for trying to 
prevent being raped.  I ask how many females in the class have gotten 
emails like these and then I ask how many males in the class have gotten 
emails like these (none, of course).  If there aren't any females that 
raise their hands, I share with the class that I have gotten emails like 
these many times and talk about the fear that is reinforced every time I 
receive one.  It is one way to approach the topic of who is responsible for 
"preventing" rape.




Shari Pergricht, Counselor, Professor
Student Development I117
Harper College
1200 W. Algonquin Rd.
Palatine, IL   60067
(847) 925-6393(V)  925-6674 (TTY)

"Our own success, to be real, must contribute to the success of others" - 
Eleanor Roosevelt

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