News and Information
Emory University
Atlanta, GA 30322

Release date: November 9, 1998
Contact: Deb Hammacher, Assistant Director

EMORY LAW SCHOOL TO HOST PUBLIC FORUM ON NEEDED CHANGES IN GA. RAPE LAWS

"Updating Georgia's Rape Statutes: A Time for Progress" is the topic of a public forum to be held at Emory University School of Law at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 14. Georgia Attorney General Thurbert Baker will be among the government officials, law enforcement personnel and educators who will speak from their perspectives about the need to change the state's sexual offense laws.

Among the other panelists are: J. Tom Morgan, district attorney for DeKalb County; Doug Teper, member of the Georgia House of Representatives from the 61ST District; Liz Flowers, director, Georgia Network to End Sexual Assault; Jeanne Canavan, assistant district attorney, DeKalb County; Shawn LaGrua, assistant district attorney, DeKalb; Donna Brandonburg, detective, sex crimes unit, DeKalb County Police Dept.; Maria Bevacqua, professor, women's studies, Emory University; and Shirley Baker, health educator, Emory.

The forum is the brainchild of Emory law student Cameron Welborn, who has been involved in an effort to change the state's rape laws since last March, when she and law student Eva Jabber organized a panel discussion at the law school called "When Drugs Are Used for Rape." The event was an effort to educate the university and community on the dangers of drugs such as GHB, which has been linked to recent, highly publicized serial rape cases.

During that discussion, Morgan asserted that Georgia's rape laws, as currently written, make it difficult to prosecute and win cases, says Welborn. The thought stuck with her, and this fall she approached Morgan, who agreed to participate in and help sponsor the forum. Soon after, Welborn and law students Rachel Brod and Jill Uiberall began meeting with women's groups and faculty to discuss proposals for specific revisions in the statutes. As a result, the three students have drafted a bill proposing progressive changes in the rape, aggravated sodomy and aggravated sexual battery laws that they hope will be submitted during the next legislative session.

The forum, which is free, will be held at Tull Auditorium in the law school, located at the corner of Clifton and North Decatur roads. Parking is available in the deck on Gambrell Drive just off Clifton Road. Call (404) 727-6829 for information.