The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, October 11, 1995-
Ameicans know very little about STDs, Gallup poll finds
-5
By Cathy Boguslaski
Daily Staff Reporter
While American teen-agers gener-
ally know more than adults about sexu-
ally transmitted diseases, both groups
have very little knowledge, according
to a recent Gallup poll. -
The poll, commissioned by the
American Social Health Administra-
tion, found teens are more likely than
adults to know that STDs are wide-
spread, that some STDs other than AIDS
are incurable and that some STDs have
no symptoms.
However, fewer teens than adults
could name an STD other than
AIDS.
On campus, University Health Services works to increase awareness
Schools are increasingly important
as primary educators about STDs, the
study found.
University Health Services provides
several different forums for informa-
tion about STDs, said program man-
ager Janet Zielasko.
Peer-education programs discuss
such topics as contraception and sexu-
ally transmitted diseases, Zielasko
said.
"They talk about the information
students need when they're consider-
ing being sexually active," she said.
"These are not lecture programs;
they're not preachy," Zielasko said.
"They help students assess their own
values and decisions."
"It's areally funprogram," said Laura
Wilson, a peer educator at UHS. "We
like people to talk and discuss and ask
questions.
"We play games. It's really interac-
tive, not boring. The program is geared
toward what's available here," Wilson
said.
Although the percentage of HIV/
AIDS on campus is low, other STDs
are more common, said Polly Paulson,
UHS program associate. In the 1991-
92 school year, only 0.6 percent of
students whom UHS tested for HIV
had the virus. During the same time
period, UHS diagnosed 45 cases of
gonorrhea, four cases of syphilis and
600 cases of genital warts, Paulson
said.
"We do diagnose people who con-
tracted STDs here on campus. The most
alarming thing we've seen is the in-
crease in genital warts," she said.
One of the most common questions
students ask at the peer education work-
shops is what a check for STDs in-
volves, Wilson said.
"A lot of students want to know about
HIV and oral sex, or HIV and saliva,"
Paulson said.
"Some want to know about herpes
and cold sores, because cold sores can
sometimes be transmitted as genital
herpes."
The poll also explored sources of
STD information.
Fifty-four percent of adults and 35
percent of teens said their health care
providers spend "no time at all" dis-
cussing STD information.
UHS provides programs and bro-
chures on STDs not only to clinic
patients, but also to students in en-
eral.
"We do curriculum infusion in the
academic classrooms, presenting pro-
grams for classes that are interested,"
Paulson said.
Psychology and women's studies
classes are the most common, she
said.
SAFE House plans
awareness for teen'
dating violence
By Lucia Watson
For the Daily
Denise Brown's recent appearance
at the dedication of the new SAFE House
marks only one of a host of events
planned by the shelter to increase aware-
ness of domestic violence. The upcom-
ing events will focus on teenage dating
violence as the Domestic Violence
Project/SAFE House continues its ac-
tivities for National Domestic Violence
Awareness Month.
On Oct. 12 from 7-9 p.m., SAFE
House will sponsor a youth forum on
dating violence given by Barrie Levy,
a UCLA professor and author of sev-
eral books on the topic. On Oct. 13,
Levy will also speak at SAFE House's
dating violence conference, "In Love
and In Danger," which will run from
9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Both programs will be
held in the Morris J. Lawrence Build-
ing at Washtenaw Community Col-
lege.
Kathy Hagenian, assistant director of
SAFE House, says the goal of these
programs is to create public awareness
ofviolenceintherelationshipsofyoung
people.
"Not only does violence happen in
high school and college-age relationships,
it is serious and can be fatal like any other
domestic violence," Hagenian said.
"People don't understand that young
women die."
According to SAFE House statistics,
SAFE House Events
During the month of October, SAFE
House will showcase art exhibits in
tribute to victims of domestic
violence. From Oct. 27th-29th:
" "The Silent Witness," a collection
of 30 life-size wooden silhouettes of
Michigan women who were murdered
by their dating partners will be in the
Watts Room of the Michigan Union.
I The "Clothesline Project," a
clothesline of T-shirts, which
celebrates survivors of abuse.
A walk athon/RolIerblade-athon and
a Mary Kay fashion show are
planned for Oct. 21, to raise funds
for SAFE House.
28 percent of high school and college
students have been involved in a-vio-
lent dating relationship. In addition, 20
percent of female homicide victims are
between the ages of 15 and 24,-the
statistics show.
Hagenian says that another purpose
of the programs is to make victims
aware of the resources available, such
as those provided by SAFE House
within high schools and by the Sexual
Assault Prevention and Awareness
Centeron campus. Victims should also
be aware of their legal rights, she said.
"We want people to understand the
programs out there," Hagenian said.
JOE WESTRATE/Daily
What are you lookin' at?
A llama puts on his meanest glare at a llama farm in Webster Township, just outside of Dexter, yesterday.
AmeiiCosaru to volunteer Detrot
By Joyce Barretto
For the Daily
"Unfortunately, what is known
about Detroit are the negativities, li-
abilities and needs," but through a
partnership with the University and
the AmeriCorps members, "we're
building on the assets, capacities, gifts
and positives of the city," Charlene
Johnson said last night in a speech at
a reception for student and faculty
volunteers.
Johnson is the executive director of
the Michigan Neighborhood Partner-
ship Program, a collaboration of eight
community-based organizations in De-
troit.
Together with Barry Checkoway,
director of community service and ser-
.vice learning at the University, they
were able to establish the AmeriCorps
program at the University last fall.
"We've only been in existence for a
short while, but in a short while we've
actually been able to do a great deal,"
*said Anika Goss, campus coordinator
of Americorps.
The Clinton administration intro-
duced the program in September 1993,
fulfilling a campaign promise to start a
national service program Clinton
dubbed the domestic Peace Corps.
The students are required to work
900 hours of community service. They
receive a living allowance of $4,050,
which comes in the form of an hourly
wage. They also receive a $2,363 edu-
cation stipend, which is applied to tu-
ition or unpaid school loans.
The University's AmeriCorps pro-
gram works in cooperation with Michi-
gan Neighborhood Partnership Pro-
gram. It consists of 20 students who
work part-time and 20 full-time com-
munity residents. They do all of their
work in Detroit.
The program works through five of
the University's professional schools:
Public Policy, Urban Planning, Social
Work, Public Health and Business Ad-
ministration.
Steve Tobocman, a School of Public
Policy student, has worked with the
Southwest Detroit Graffiti-free Col-
laboration. "Over two months we've
painted over 150 instances of graffiti,"
he said.
Tobocman also ran a public relations
campaign to encourage people to turn
in illegal dumpers and receive a reward
from the city.
Johnson said the University's in-
volvement is critical to the Detroit
projects.
"If it had not been for U-M, there
would be no Michigan Neighborhood
Partnership Program," Johnson said.
"We're looking forward to a continu-
ing relationship and investment in De-
troit."
In an effort to balance the federal
budget, the GOP istargeting Americorps
as being too expensive. Some Republi-
cans have said that the program costs
taxpayers $27,000 per volunteer, The
Washington Post reported. AmeriCorps
leaders have argued that the cost is
actually $18,000 each.
"The government is leveraging a lot
of resources through the AmeriCorps
program," Tobocman said. "Although
it's a nominal fee, the amount of service
they're getting goes way beyond the
AmeriCorps member."
Tobocman said that he has enlisted
the help of other University students
and people around the community:
"People who wouldn't have come out
otherwise."
Natalie Wiley, a School of Public
Policy student, disagreed. The pro-
gram "needs to be restructured," she
said. "The program could exist for a
lot less."
Wiley saidthe living allowance makes
AmeriCorps seem more like a low-pay-
ing job than volunteering. "Yank the
living allowance completely," she said.
"Don't say it's national service and then
give an hourly wage."
Goss said that despite proposed bud-
get cuts, the program will continue to
exist - "whether we're called
AmeriCorps or we're called something
else." She said they will continue to
provide "community service projects
to better the quality of life and empower
the residents of Detroit."
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