M-A’s Wake-Up Call

Photo Credit: Rachel Fox

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Written by Regina Mullen and Adam Zuckerman

Do you know someone who has been sexually assaulted?  Whether you realize it or not, the answer is yes.  One out of every three women is sexually assaulted sometime in their life.

Sexual assault and rape, for the most part, are fairly taboo topics.  But when Stacey Woodcock, a sexual assault survivor and an M-A English teacher, heard about the recent gang rape of a fifteen-year-old girl in Richmond, she felt it a more relevant time than ever to “break the silence.”  Collaborating with Rape Trauma Services and Miki Cristerna of the Student Support Center at M-A, Woodcock, better known as Ms. Woodie, managed to organize a 45-minute assembly including stories from rape victims, performances from several students, and information regarding support, to be held during 5^th and 6^th period as well as after school.

Jessica Hollander, a representative from the Rape Trauma Services, accompanied Ms. Woodie onstage, and the two women shared with the student body their own experiences.  As a sophomore in high school, Ms. Woodie was date-raped by an ex-boyfriend.  “He was bigger than me and intimidating and coercive,” recalls Ms. Woodie, “I told him ‘no’ but he had sex with me anyway.”

When recounting her own harrowing account, Hollander described the difficulties she had dealing with the trauma, saying, “I had to realize that I did not have control over what happened to me that night, but I did have control of what I was going to do next.”

One of Menlo-Atherton’s own, who wishes to remain anonymous, bravely spoke about how she was sexually violated at a school dance.  She retold the nightmare from sophomore year when an innocent dance turned into a memory that she will never forget.

“After it happened I ran straight into the bathroom.  The emotional pain that I felt immediately after made me physically sick.”  Although she wishes to remain anonymous here, this student is a friend to many on campus;  just a face to others, but to those who saw her boldly recount her story, she is certainly a hero.

Throughout the assembly, students went up to read several facts about sexual assault.  M-A student Nick also recited, “Just Because I’m a Boy,” a poem he had written about transcending the stereotypical male image.  At the end, M-A students Marilyn and Kimberly sang “Hero” in an impressive and touching duet.

As the assembly concluded, Ms. Woodie urged the students in the audience to continue the conversation started by the presentation.  She stresses that “when we don’t talk about things, they aren’t seen as important,” and something as significant as sexual assault should be important.  Justifying her nerves at the beginning of the assembly, Ms. Woodie mentioned that “I’ve never before told my story to such a large audience; in fact, I’ve never even spoken in front of such a large audience before.”  However, Ms. Woodie further emphasizes the importance of her cause in her final address to the audience, saying “My passion for this topic and my love for you all is bigger than my fear.”  Like her favorite saying, Ms. Woodie shows that sometimes you have to speak your mind, even if your voice shakes.