In a handful of men's restrooms across State College, there is a new accessory.
A student organization, Men Stopping Rape, has distributed urinal splashguards to local businesses and campus restrooms. Placed on the bottom of urinals, splashguards are traditionally used for two reasons — to cut down on odor and for sanitary purposes.
However, the splashguards distributed by Men Stopping Rape were not designed to improve sanitary conditions for men in State College. The purpose of these splashguards extends far beyond making men's experiences in restrooms more comfortable.
The splashguards are part of the Hands On Prevention Project. The project, sponsored by the Office of Student Affairs and Men Stopping Rape, targets one specific audience — men. The words "You hold the power to stop rape in your hands" are sprawled across each blue, bubble-gum scented splashguard in white, capital letters.
Inspiration for the splashguards came last November when Men Stopping Rape hosted a seminar with internationally recognized sociologist Michael Kimmel, who has published several books about males and masculinity.
Kimmel told the group the story of an Ohio State University student who originally thought of the concept behind the splashguard and began distributing them in restrooms on his campus. The members of Men Stopping Rape loved the idea, and ever since have been devoted to seeing the idea become a reality on Penn State's campus.
For members of Men Stopping Rape, the splashguards are simply an extension of the organization's mission — to make men aware that rape is not just a woman's problem.
"The one thing that we are trying to do is reach men and make them aware that they are involved in sexual assault and rape. Men are the ones committing these crimes. When someone robs a bank, you go get the robber, not the person who lost their money," said Daniel Hindman(graduate-special graduate program), meeting coordinator of Men Stopping Rape.
"For men to have to think about sexual assault in such a private place as a urinal will jolt them awake," Hindman added.
The splashguards have already been placed in urinals at the HUB-Robeson Center and Pollock Commons as well as in a handful of bars downtown, including Café 210 West, 210 W. College Ave., and the Darkhorse Tavern, 128 E. College Ave.
Convincing local bars to use the splashguards was important for members of Men Stopping Rape. Most of the students who sought assistance for sexual assault during the 1996-97 academic year knew the person who assaulted them, and alcohol was involved in at least 70 percent of the cases, according to data compiled by the Sexual Assault Committee at Penn State.
Hal McCullough, owner of Café 210 West, shares the sense of optimism that the members of Men Stopping Rape have adopted when it comes to the Hands On Prevention Project and the installation of the splashguards.
"I think that it is a worthwhile cause. If you can get people to think about (rape and sexual assault), it might help," McCullough said.
Although Penn State student Travis Hall (freshman-division of undergraduate studies) initially got a laugh out of the splashguards in the HUB-Robeson Center urinals, he is also aware of the connection between drinking and sexual assault and rape.
"It's not about peeing, it's about drinking," Hall said. "If you can control yourself, you won't get in those kind of situations."
Penn State student Mick Zadecki (sophomore-marketing and international business) thinks that the splashguards are an effective way for the organization to relay its message to men.
"You don't think about rape on a day-to-day basis, but when you read that it crosses your mind, more than once," he said.
Others are not so accepting of the splashguards.
"It kind of pissed me off. I know rape is out there and it makes you think, but this is State College, it's not like it's Philly. The splashguards aren't directed to me and so I'm going to ignore them. By putting those in there, you must think all guys are out there abusing women," said Jamie Johnson (senior-aerospace engineering).
Some local businesses share Johnson's reservations about the effectiveness of the splashguards.
After members of Men Stopping Rape distributed two dozen splashguards to the Hotel State College, 100 W. College Ave., an organization that owns several College Avenue businesses, the managers of each of the businesses came to a general consensus and decided not to install the splashguards.
Speaking on behalf of Hotel State College, managing partner Mike Desmond commented on Hotel State College's decision.
"The splashguards could be perceived as insulting to our customers and we don't want to play down to our guests," Desmond said.
Desmond said that it is the message on the splashguards, not what Men Stopping Rape hopes to achieve, that the managers of Hotel State College find fault with.
"We're in the hospitality business so we certainly do not want to insult people. The slogan suggests that people think with their penises, rather than their minds," Desmond said.
Wendy Silverman (graduate-extension education), outreach coordinator for Men Stopping Rape and one of the few female members of the group, helped distribute the splashguards. She is disappointed that many businesses chose not to install the splashguards.
"Women have to think about rape all the time, even if we aren't aware of it," Silverman said. "When a woman walks home at night, she is constantly looking over her shoulder, we always have our keys ready, and we are taught to do this.
"Men feel comfortable walking home at night, they don't have to worry about how much they drink at night," Silverman added. "Not all men commit rape. But most rapes occur by men. If a man is not a rapist, this gets him to talk to people and talk to friends and raise awareness. If we don't think about it, it doesn't go away."
Peggy Lorah, assistant director for the Center for Women Students, echoed Silverman's attitude.
"Education has to start with men because 99 percent of all rapes are committed by male perpetrators," Lorah said. "Rape and sexual assault will not stop until men are educated."
