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Dedrick Peterson

Michigan man indicted for rape

By Suhyeon Park | Oct. 15, 2014

A Michigan man who was charged with rape and sexual battery charges regarding 2013 homecoming incident was indicted by Athens County Grand Jury on Tuesday.

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Current State Rep. Debbie Phillips challenge seat candidate Yolan Dennis on abortion rights, common core standards

By Julia Fair | Oct. 15, 2014

Incumbent State Rep. Debbie Phillips, D-94 challenged Yolan Dennis, Republican candidate for the district seat, on controversies ranging from climate change to abortion Tuesday evening — with both candidates taking full advantage of the hour provided to them for a debate at the Athens Public Library.Phillips and Dennis began the debate by speaking to a full audience on how they would earn Ohio University students’ votes. Phillips discussed the work she’s done to try and improve the average college student’s political and educational experience.Phillips also said she finds it frustrating when college students are turned away from the polls when trying to vote for the first time due to “bureaucratic reasons,” such as early voting hours.Dennis, however, focused more on life after college, where she said students will need to “get a job to pay for their debt.” “Jobs are hard to come by,” she said. “You are going to need someone who will stimulate that area to foster job growth.”Stepping away from student voting, Phillips and Dennis turned the debate to national topics including abortion rights, where their opinions greatly differed.Dennis said “abortion is a terrible thing,” adding that anyone who chooses to have an abortion should “think about the outcome.”However, Phillips advocated for a woman’s right to choose. She said “lawmakers are not doctors,” furthering that politicians “can’t make those calls.”Phillips said she supports medically-accurate sex education for young people, as well as providing access to contraceptives. As the health debate continued, an audience member asked Phillips and Dennis about their respective stance on the common core, which sets an educational standard for English and math statewide.Yolan said that she is not in favor of the common core program.“It takes away power and decision making of our local educators, our teachers and our parents,” she said. Phillips disagreed, saying that common core standards can sometimes be useful.“We are able to understand that they’ve learned certain things,” she said.An audience member also inquired how Phillips and Dennis might go about combating climate change, which Dennis replied she doesn’t believe in.Councilwoman Chris Knisely, D-at large, wouldn’t comment on who she might vote for this November but said she felt both candidates were well intended.“In all, both candidates are working hard to get their opinions out.”jf311013@ohio.edu

F--kRapeCulture Rally

Police, students hope for change after F--kRapeCulture march

By Emma Ockerman | Oct. 13, 2014

It might have seemed unorthodox for two local police chiefs to be milling about a crowd of F--kRapeCulture protesters Friday afternoon, some wielding signs themselves denouncing how some police handle sexual assaults.But Athens Police Department Chief Tom Pyle and Ohio University Police Chief Andrew Powers were there to support the protesters’ requests for OU administrators to:Absorb the Ohio University Survivor Advocacy Program before its federal grant expires next OctoberOffer sensitivity training for survivors of sexual assault for both APD and OUPD officers Have every OU student be required to annually take “Not Anymore,” an online module teaching bystander intervention tactics.More than 100 protesters gathered at 4 p.m. at the bottom of Jeff Hill to take to Mill and Court streets, ending at College Green.F--kRapeCulture didn’t apply for a parade permit to march in the middle of Court and Mill streets, but Pyle gave them permission after meeting with the students on Tuesday.“We’re here to show support,” Pyle said. “We fully support the issues they’re advocating for.”Protesters meandered along their route, chanting: “F--k rape culture,” and “1, 2, 3, 4: I am not your f--king whore,” to College Green where students gave speeches at the Civil War monument.“We started right in this very spot last year,” Claire Chadwick, an organizer with F--kRapeCulture said. “In just a year we’ve accomplished all of our goals. We should be proud.”Chadwick went on to mention that she had met with OUPD and APD throughout the week after hearing “too many horror stories of APD’s handling of sexual assault.”“The chiefs were really enthusiastic about working with us which is really f--king awesome,” Chadwick said.Jesper Beckholt, a senior studying English, spoke about how survivors of sexual assault in the LGBTQ community feel alone and isolated, because many advocacy programs mainly offer their services to women.“There’s a limited image of who a survivor is,” Beckholt said. “People like myself feel alienated. Being a queer and trans survivor is not easy.”Organizers said they were encouraged by the turnout and that Athens’ rape culture is changing.“Conversations will only benefit victims’ perceptions that law enforcement is insensitive,” Powers said. “It makes it challenging for law enforcement because people won’t file complaints. But there’s a good two-way conversation happening, and we understand that we have an obligation to explain how we handle the questions we ask in investigations.”@eockerman eo300813@ohio.edu

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