DIY History | Transcribe | Campus Culture | Take Back the Night newspaper editorials and articles, 1982 | 1982-10-25 Daily Iowan Article: "Women protest male violence with park rally" Page 2

Transcribe
Translate

Take Back the Night newspaper editorials and articles, 1982

1982-10-25 Daily Iowan Article: "Women protest male violence with park rally" Page 2

Page 6A - The Daily Iowan - Iowa City, Iowa - Monday, October 25, 1982

Charges 
Continued from page 1
" At that time about half a dozen women surrounded me shining flashlights in my face making it impossible for me to see or take notes," Severa said Sunday night. 
Severa said when he got up to move to the other side of the park, he was attacked. " They were abusive in their language and one women used obscene language constantly. 

"  I WAS GRABBED by at least four of the women and dragged to the edge of the park. I was kicked and forced down the stairs, my life was threatened." Severa said " I don't think this is representative of most of the women there."
They challenged the motives of the reporter saying he must be there to " stir up trouble. They asked me why a woman wasn't sent to cover it." Severa said. 
Scott Sonner, assistant metro editor, said Severa was assigned to the story because all female reporters were either out of town for the weekend or busy with previously assigned stories. 
At a press conference Sunday, rally organizers Tess Catalano and Amy Kratz denied any knowledge of the incident. 


The Daily Iowan/Mel Hill

Carrying banners about 75 women march from College Park, where they held a "take back the night" rally to the Pentacrest. Several of the women held flashlights in front of cameras to prevent photos from being taken. 

Night Continued from page 1 

park were first confronted by women explaining that the rally was being held to give women a chance to openly had freely discuss their feelings about violence against them. 

THE MEN were told that their presence may inhibit conversation of many women who have been victims of violence and that they were not welcome. 
If men insisted on passing through the park they were escorted to the other side of the park by at least two women carrying flashlights, but were not allowed by women acting as "security people" to stay in the area. 
Because press coverage was barred specifics of the rally are known only to those women who participated. 
Al Henkel of KGAN-TV news was told by organizers to shoot video footage only from the perimeter of the park. When he approached the park he was surroung by " about eight" women who shined flashlights into his video-tape camera. This prevented him from filming and could have damaged his equipment, Henkel said. 
Three complaints were filed with Iowa City police alleging forced exclusion from the park. 
One complainant said he and a friend tried to walk through the park when they were confronted by several women who insisted they leave. The men went to the Iowa City Police Department to file a complaint and were informed by Sgt. Ron Fort that an assault charge had already been filed and arrests were planned, the complainant said. 

THE MEN were advised by police not to enter the park as it might jeopardize the outcome of the complaint. 
The complainant said he feared for the safety of photographic equipment the pair were carrying because of what he termed "hard-core" letters he had read in The Daily Iowan concerning male exclusion from the rally. Hearing that an assault charge was filed increased his fear of passing through the park on his way home, he said. 
Police arrived at the park about an hour after the rally began but made no attempt to prevent the rally's " security people" from barring entrance to the area. In the midst of a group of men arguing with women participants at one corner of the park, a policewoman expressed sympathy with the organizers' cause and tactics. During a Sunday press conference, Catalano and event organizer Amy Kratz said they hoped the press coverage of the rally would focus on the issue of violence in women's lives rather than the confrontations that occurred. 

KRATZ SAID one reason the news media were barred from the rally was fear that they would focus on the " titillation and horror stories" of women discussing their experiences with violence.

Catalano said the main feelings participants in the rally had were "anger and power" along with " a certain amount of joy" at being able to discuss their experiences in what they felt was a safe and receptive environment.

Saving...

Page 6A - The Daily Iowan - Iowa City, Iowa - Monday, October 25, 1982 Charges Continued from page 1 " At that time about half a dozen women surrounded me shining flashlights in my face making it impossible for me to see or take notes," Severa said Sunday night. Severa said when he got up to move to the other side of the park, he was attacked. " They were abusive in their language and one women used obscene language constantly. " I WAS GRABBED by at least four of the women and dragged to the edge of the park. I was kicked and forced down the stairs, my life was threatened." Severa said " I don't think this is representative of most of the women there." They challenged the motives of the reporter saying he must be there to " stir up trouble. They asked me why a woman wasn't sent to cover it." Severa said. Scott Sonner, assistant metro editor, said Severa was assigned to the story because all female reporters were either out of town for the weekend or busy with previously assigned stories. At a press conference Sunday, rally organizers Tess Catalano and Amy Kratz denied any knowledge of the incident. The Daily Iowan/Mel Hill Carrying banners about 75 women march from College Park, where they held a "take back the night" rally to the Pentacrest. Several of the women held flashlights in front of cameras to prevent photos from being taken. Night Continued from page 1 park were first confronted by women explaining that the rally was being held to give women a chance to openly had freely discuss their feelings about violence against them. THE MEN were told that their presence may inhibit conversation of many women who have been victims of violence and that they were not welcome. If men insisted on passing through the park they were escorted to the other side of the park by at least two women carrying flashlights, but were not allowed by women acting as "security people" to stay in the area. Because press coverage was barred specifics of the rally are known only to those women who participated. Al Henkel of KGAN-TV news was told by organizers to shoot video footage only from the perimeter of the park. When he approached the park he was surroung by " about eight" women who shined flashlights into his video-tape camera. This prevented him from filming and could have damaged his equipment, Henkel said. Three complaints were filed with Iowa City police alleging forced exclusion from the park. One complainant said he and a friend tried to walk through the park when they were confronted by several women who insisted they leave. The men went to the Iowa City Police Department to file a complaint and were informed by Sgt. Ron Fort that an assault charge had already been filed and arrests were planned, the complainant said. THE MEN were advised by police not to enter the park as it might jeopardize the outcome of the complaint. The complainant said he feared for the safety of photographic equipment the pair were carrying because of what he termed "hard-core" letters he had read in The Daily Iowan concerning male exclusion from the rally. Hearing that an assault charge was filed increased his fear of passing through the park on his way home, he said. Police arrived at the park about an hour after the rally began but made no attempt to prevent the rally's " security people" from barring entrance to the area. In the midst of a group of men arguing with women participants at one corner of the park, a policewoman expressed sympathy with the organizers' cause and tactics. During a Sunday press conference, Catalano and event organizer Amy Kratz said they hoped the press coverage of the rally would focus on the issue of violence in women's lives rather than the confrontations that occurred. KRATZ SAID one reason the news media were barred from the rally was fear that they would focus on the " titillation and horror stories" of women discussing their experiences with violence. Catalano said the main feelings participants in the rally had were "anger and power" along with " a certain amount of joy" at being able to discuss their experiences in what they felt was a safe and receptive environment.