WAR Timeline

*It is important to note that there may be more events than are currently presented due to the limitations of compiling data exclusively from articles in The Lantern.

1971

November 1^st, 1971: Women’s Action Collective (WAC) is recorded as a new organization

1972

Women Against Rape (WAR) is formed

1973

January 16^th, 1973: WAR’s first meeting
WAR works on establishing community safety measures through “Women’s distress shelters,” “Block houses,” and “foot and car patrols.”
WAR and Rape Education Project plan to implement a rape crisis phone service by February 1^st, 1974

1974

The Toni E. Goman Rape Crisis Center (RCC) opens
WAR receives $10,479 from Columbus Foundation to work on rape prevention work

1975

February 4^th, 1974: WAR advocates for survivors to not have to pay for their medical bills and advocate against spousal exceptions for rape --- issues of resistance
April 4^th, 1975: WAR supports Senate bill 144 to ensure the victim’s prior sexual history is not included as part of prosecuting evidence
WAR/WAC fundraises for Joanne Little Defense Fund
In collaboration with NOW, Hillel Foundation, Wesley Foundation, Women’s Resource, and Policy Development, Single Mothers Support Group, and Women for Media Change, WAR supports “Alice Doesen’t Day” on October 29^th, 1975

1976

WAR receives grant money from The Ohio State University’s Office of Women’s Studies
WAR receives grant for ~$110,000 from National Center for the Prevention of Control of Rape for “Community Action Strategies to Stop Rape” (a 2-year project with programs starting in 1977)

1977

WAR’s Rape Crisis Center meet with police to advocate for survivor-centered care and to eliminate the use of polygraph tests as a valid way to determine if a rape occurred
WAR hosts a series (6) of free workshops on free prevention starting April 11
Even though the program had been present 5 years already, WAR attempts to revitalize the Whistle Alert Program by relaunching it on May 7^th, 1977
WAR, National Organization of Women, and Central Ohio Lesbians sponsors a 500-person rally in response to a gangrape of a lesbian woman by 3 men on the Oval in October 1977 and to assert rape is violence not rape as sexual desire.

1978

WAR and a coalition of 17 women’s groups in Columbus protest sexually explicit record albums that depicted sadistic acts against women. (Jan 18)
WAR plans Dorm Shelter
WAR, WAC, OSU Rape Education Project sponsor April 29, 1978, Take Back the Night March, which had more than 250 women participate
WAR creates the Women’s Rape Prevention Network (WRPN) in order to organize women in the community and dorms
WAR advertises 8-part Self-defense class for $25
On November 17^th-19^th, 1978, WAR hosts a “First-of-it-s kind national rape prevention conference” at Stouffers University inn. conference on national rape prevention
WAR’s Project Court Watch research show rape penalties are rare

1979

WAR advocates against the male escort services after the rape of a woman in the same area of 1977 rape spurred more discussion of escort system because it reinforces the idea that women need men to be safe at night and it being a band-aid solution.
The Ohio State University installs 25 emergency phones around campus
WAR sponsors May 16, 1976, Take Back the Night march

1981

WAC consists of WAR, Toni E. Gorman Rape Crisis Center, Support Teams, Support Groups, Rape Prevention Workshops, Shelter House Workshops, Whistle Alert Program, Self Defense and Confrontation Training, Fan the Flames Feminist Book Collective, Reproductive Rights Task Force, Lesbian Peer support, Lesbian association on substance abuse, speakers bureau, and the Child assault prevention project

1982

Office of Women’s Services works in partnership with WAR and WAC to refer students to external resources

1983

WAR member Robin Massullo helps organize protests in regard to the alleged Steeb Gate Incident
WAR and the Federation for Progress sponsor the May 16^th, 1983 Women Take Back the Night march with the support from numerous other organizations.

1987

Take Back the Night ’87 sponsored by WAR, Sisters of Justice, Columbus National Women’s Association, and the Humanist Community of Central Ohio

1989

WAR sponsors May 20^th, 1989 Take Back the Night March at Goodale Park

1993

Julie Quirke, a WAR counselor, says false reports similar to any other crime
USG Womyn’s affairs intend to help fundraise for WAR’s Rape Crisis

1995

Concert held to help fundraise for RAINN and WAR, since WAR’s Rape Crisis Center is the only connection in Ohio’s Franklin County to RAINN

1996

WAR's Rape Crisis Center closes its doors due to a lack of engagement and turnover (all calls from WAR’s hotline are redirected to Riverside Methodist Hospital)

2005