Katie Koestner, one of the country’s foremost advocates for sexual assault victims, will be at Allen Community College Tuesday evening to speak about date rape.
Koestner, who gained national prominence in 1991 when she appeared on the cover of Time Magazine as a date rape victim, has since spoken publicly about the matter to more than 1 million students in the United States. (Her attack occurred when she was a college student; her assailant was never charged.)
Koestner wil be at the Allen gymnasium at 8 p.m. for a 60-minute presentation. She’ll also field questions from the audience.
“It’s really a unique opportunity for us to have this speaker,” said Ryan Bilderback, ACC’s director of student life. “She’s in Kansas speaking at another school already. That’s really the only way we could get her.”
Bilderback noted Koestner’s presentation is open to the public, although the subject matter is directed for mature audiences.
“There will be somewhat serious content discussed,” Bilderback said.
That said, he hopes to see college and high school students, especially, in the audience.
“The college has an interest in trying to educate our students on how not to put themselves in situations, and if there is a situation, how to deal with it after the fact.”
The college’s Office of Student Life is sponsoring the discussion.
HBO made a 1993 movie about her story, and she has given interviews on national news broadcasts and been featured on scores of talk shows.
She later appeared before Congress and later President George H.W. Bush to encourage passage of the Campux Sexual Assault Victim’s Bill of Rights into law in 1992.
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She continues to work today as a rape counselor and awareness adovocate.
