L E T T E R S
SOME BAD NEWS

To the editor:

It is never a good thing to have to write and talk about rape and sexual assault in Nantucket. It doesn't make anyone happy. However, sometimes I must. Over the past few months we have seen an increase in these crimes - truly a dramatic increase.

We don't have exact incident numbers because we never do. I can talk about the number of calls or reports to A Safe Place compared with last year, but that would just represent the tip of the iceberg. The reason - research says only that 3 to 10 percent of rape survivors ever report to anyone - including us. So that's what I'll "speak" to.

Since sometime in the spring we have had knowledge of seven rapes and/or sexual assaults having been committed on-island. (Consider this in light of the above stats!) The assaults were fairly representative of what we "see" on a broader range, and included "stranger rapes," "acquaintance rapes," date-rapes, and marital rapes, (yes, in Massachusetts marital rape is a crime). Having just written this, let me immediately say that this is not intended as an essay covering the possibilities of legal charges with respect to sexual assault and rape. In the Commonwealth there are, I believe, more than twenty possible formal rape and sexual assault charges that can be brought in connection with crimes against adult survivors.

In addition, some of the above crimes were committed with dangerous weapons. And some were committed with the aid of "date rape drugs." I want to pause here. Out of the many issues ASafe Place deals with, eliciting the common reaction, "I never knew that happened on Nantucket," this one deserves some special attention. First - "drug-facilitated sexual assault" does absolutely happen on Nantucket. It's been happening for some time, this summer being different only for the apparent increase in its occurrence.

The better known date rape drugs are GHB (gamma hydroxybutyric acid), Rohypnol (funitrazepam), and Ketamine (ketamine hydrochloride). GHB can be in a liquid, white powder, or pill; Rohypnol is a pill that dissolves in liquid, and Ketamine is a white powder. All of these are easily added to flavored beverages, alcoholic or otherwise, without the knowledge of the consumer. Although the effects of these drugs are slightly different, one from another, they share some basic characteristics. They can induce or create relaxation, sedation, dreamlike sensations, impaired motor functioning including speech, loss of coordination, loss of sensation, and loss of memory, time and space orientation. (They also can have some really nasty effects, like breathing problems, seizures, convulsions, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, loss of consciousness, coma, and death.)

In addition to these "infamous" date rape drugs, others much more easily obtained are also used to commit these crimes. Valium and other easy-to-obtain sedativetypes are examples. The most common is alcohol itself. It is worth mentioning that many-to-most "drug-facilitated sexual assaults" are committed when the victim is powerless due to the effects of too much alcohol. After all, a rapist does not have to exert much power over someone who is passed out.

Rape is a crime of power and control over one's victim - abusing with sex, and therefore different than other acts of violence. When viewed this way one can begin to understand how a rapist would use drugs to render his victim helpless. So too, does it help explain the use of drugs in instances of gang-rape, also known as "multiple sexual assault". Yes, I am afraid to say that does happen on Nantucket, too.

So, what can we do? In terms of bringing rapists to justice, let me only say HERE that in my opinion our society has yet a long way to go. In ways we are fortunate because our community law enforcement providers take these crimes very seriously and make sincere attempts at apprehending offenders. Sadly, it seems the judicial efforts to protect the rights of the accused, often result in the victim/survivor's experience as yet another affront to her or his personal integrity. By some estimates, 1 to 3 percent of rape survivors take advantage of the Commonwealth's prosecutorial "opportunity."

Taking defensive action, though perhaps less desirable, is a safe one. Here are some tips: Don't - accept open drinks from strangers; share drinks; drink from common containers like punch bowls; drink anything that smells or tastes strange. Do - open your own drink; keep your drink with you at all times, including when you go to the bathroom; have a non-alcohol-drinking friend with you. Don't - walk, jog, run, bike, fish or otherwise be alone after dark in any but very public places. (I know this is not fair! This is about trying everything to be safe!) Remember, a rapist is looking for an opportunity to isolate and overpower a would-be victim.

If you think you have been raped and/or drugged - Go to the Nantucket Cottage Hospital Emergency Room; or call or go to the Nantucket Police (508-228- 1212) or (911) and/or call the A Safe Place 24 hotline (508-228-2111) - (quickly - as all tests are time sensitive.) Do not shower or bathe or change any clothing before going to the E.R. You will destroy some evidence. Try not to use the bathroom before going to the E.R. for the same reason. When you go to the E.R. a trained Rape Crisis Counselor from A Safe Place will meet with you and a trained Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner will perform an exam with your consent. Keep one thing in mind - what happened to you was NOT your fault. Someone DID this TO you.

I, along with all at A Safe Place, sincerely hope that none of you ever experiences rape or sexual assault. The above tips are intended to help. I know that some of you have already experienced this trauma. There is help towards recovery. Call us at 228-0561 or 228-2111 - "24/7." We believe in and practice people-centered and people-powered recovery.

- Meg Hunter RCC, MSW, LICSW

Executive Director

A Safe Place

GIVE BEACH A CHANCE

To the editor:

Let's talk about the proposed 'Sconset beach erosion project. Suppose it actually works . Wouldn't that be great . . . all those homes saved, the Bluff Walk preserved, a bigger public beach, more little birdies to protect and we will not have to move the sewer beds.

Nantucket is very fortunate that there is a large group of people who are threatened enough and have deep enough pockets to be willing to tackle this issue on their own nickel - even though much of the project will have to be installed directly on town land in order to protect these individuals' shorefronts.

The naysayers are right about at least one thing : It's big , really big! They say there should be more technical experts looking at it - even hire our own consultants to study it. Well, fortunately for us, there are more than twelve local, state and federal agencies examining the project for us and making sure that it is not detrimental to the island. If they find that it is, then the project will not receive the required permits. We don't need more experts looking at it and certainly not at our expense. In fact, we should hope that this project is blessed by the permitting agencies because if it is not able to move ahead, many of our beaches and facilities will be lost.

These guys (and gals) may be spending their own money at this point, but what if they come to us in the future and ask us to take over the burden? Well, if they do, we do not have to agree. We still will have benefited for all those years from the millions of dollars they will spend on re-nourishing the towns' and their beaches.

But what if it does some damage? With so many watchdog agencies and lots of money required to be set aside to fix things if they go wrong, I don't think we really need to worry too much about that.

Nantucket has a lot of difficult challenges to deal with and erosion certainly is one of the big ones. I say let's support them and hope it works. Bottom line is nothing ventured, nothing gained.

- Vicky Tulloch Pocomo resident