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FROM THE EDITORS
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ost societies don’t talk about rape. We consider it a taboo, conditioning victims to feel ashamed about speaking out and forcing them to deal with the aftermath in silence. But the recent rapes committed in Steubenville, Amherst and New Delhi have forced us to examine how we deal with sexual assault. Our cover package examines the many facets of rape culture, from victim-blaming to flawed media coverage of rape to the old “boys will be boys” cliché. Lisie Sabbag’s article “‘You can’t tell me I wasn’t raped’” (p. 15) tells the story of two rape victims and the overwhelming lack of support they received from the community. Sabbag also discusses the ways our culture teaches us to perceive rape as inevitable. In Will Queen’s piece “Breaking the Silence” (p. 22), he offers a male perspective on the lack of discussion surrounding sexual assault. Finally, Savannah Cordova explains why rape jokes aren’t funny in “Taking it Seriously” (p. 24). We stress that all of the photo illustrations in our cover package, including the photo illustration on the cover, were taken with models from our staff and are not connected with the sources in our stories. In addition, we’ve discussed this story with the survivors every step of the way. Everything printed has been approved by the victims who shared their stories, as well as experts in counseling for sexual violence and reporting sexual violence. On that note, we’d like to express our gratitude to Dierdre Graves, executive director of the Ochberg Society, which is dedicated to responsible coverage of traumatic events, including rape coverage. She worked with us to make Sabbag’s story show the best and most compassionate reporting possible. For another personal take on headline news, read Hollie Kool’s perspective “Leveling the Battlefield” (p. 64) about the changes needed in the military to ensure women safe enrollment. Verde also explores some lesser-known controversies within the body modification community, such as the dispute over tattoo schools in “Sealed in Ink” (p. 52) by Evelyn Wang and uncommon piercings in “Pierced with Desire” (p. 56) by Daniela Ivey. For a walk on the mild(er) side, take a look at “Spring into Adventure” (p. 46) by Soo Song and Jackie Woo for ideas on some fun day trips that don’t involve needles and ink. Sadly, this is our last issue as editors-in-chief. However, we have complete confidence that Verde’s current juniors and future staff members will continue to uphold the Verde tradition. Have a good fourth quarter, Paly!
SEALED IN INK Luke Stewart, co-owner and tattoo artist at Seventh Son Tattoo in San Francisco, outlines a client’s future sleeve tattoo. Read about professional artists’ take on the controversial tattoo schools in “Sealed in Ink” (p. 52).
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– Ana, Sharon and Evelyn
Evelyn Wang