[UC] "Neigborhood" letter to the editor of the DP

[Krfapt]

The DP today has a letter about the unfortunate sexual assault at 40th & Pine and the "hood" by Tony West. Tony is, by the way, one of the few officers of a UC community organization (along with Karen Allen, John Ellingsworth, Melani Lamond (retired), and ... ok, there must be at least one more) who actually put up with the blather (mine included) on this list to keep involved with a segment of the community others would rather not know about.   Here's his letter: --------------------------------------------------------------- We're all neighbors To the Editor: The recent incident near 40th & Pine gave rise to familiar and understandable fears among campus-oriented students. But it is important that educated young people learn not to live inside a mental prison of inaccurate fears. And in truth, "neighborhood" has little to do with the act of rape. Most rapes are perpetrated by acquaintances of the victim. So if most of your acquaintances are on campus, that's where most of your risk will be also. Students have been living happily and safely among us on 44th Street for many years. We neighbors look out for each other, and when you live and walk around here, you're a neighbor too. Tony West The author is a resident of University City   -----------------------------   Also, FYI, here's an interesting comment from a follow-up news item on the topic in the DP.   Ellie Di Lapi, director of the Penn Women's Center, said that 80 to 90 percent of women who report sexual assault say they know their attacker.   Add to this, cases of "date rape" that go unreported for various reasons. Which is not to say that caution can be thrown to the wind with strangers.   Always at your service and ready for a dialog, Al Krigman