JASON DRISCOLL
Staff Writer
Pepperdine will host a Convo program Monday discussing the prevalence of acquaintance rape and the emotional impacts it has on victims by telling “Kristin’s Story.”
The evening of Aug. 4, 1995 started off as a friendly gathering between Kristin Cooper and her friends, but it ended shockingly. At the end of the night, Kristin’s friends had left the apartment while she had stayed behind with a boy who had been her friend for two years. The events that led up to the tragedy are unknown, but what ultimately happened is many girls’ nightmare — Kristin was raped.
After the rape, Kristin suffered from depression. Her suffering ended on New Year’s Eve the same year, when she shot and killed herself.
The Pepperdine community has pushed to schedule Andrea Cooper, Kristin’s mother, to speak at Pepperdine about the tragic event. Cooper and her husband found their only child dead on New Year’s Eve.
Through efforts of Delta Delta Delta and Pepperdine’s Panhellenic Council, Andrea Cooper will present “Kristin’s Story: A Story of Acquaintance Rape and Depression,” Monday at 8:30 p.m. in Elkins Auditorium.
“Very few schools get the grant to have her come speak,” said junior Megan Carolin, president of Delta Delta Delta, the same sorority in which Andrea is a member. “We are very fortunate and excited to have her come. Sexual assault is underreported in general, including Pepperdine. We wanted to raise awareness.”
A Facebook group has also been formed for the upcoming convocation, titled “Kristin’s Story Convo.”
“I am sharing this because I hope by telling Kristin’s story that other lives will be saved, and other young women will not be victims of acquaintance rape, and that those suffering from depression, for any reason, will get help,” Andrea said on her Web site, Kristinsstory.com.
Senior Caitlin Johnson, a member of Delta Delta Delta, said she was surprised that when the girls of Tri Delta were asked if they had a friend or relative who committed suicide, many of them raised their hands. After researching Kristin’s story, Johnson said she has learned a lot.
“A lot of sexual assault occurs within the Greek community,” she said.
After applying for the grant to have Andrea Cooper come, she said she was “very excited because Pepperdine has never really had an event like this.”
For more information, visit the Tri Delta Web site at DeltaDeltaDelta.org and Andrea Cooper’s Web site, kristinsstory.com.
02-07-2008
