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." r . I i ec get O±F c~ aer LIIIUs necd e euse 0 - A ti 4& STA Travel NOW OFFERS .. .. . . ..U..