CAPE PROFESSIONAL WOMEN DONATE TO VICTIMS OF RAPE

Rape victims, already facing the trauma of the crime perpetrated against them and the emergency room examination they have just undergone, are often times left with nothing to wear home from the hospital because they are told that the clothes they have worn to the hospital must stay with the police to be used as evidence.

Many of the victims have no one to call to bring them other clothes, and often the hospitals have nothing for them to wear.

Members of the Cape Girardeau chapter of the Missouri Federation of Business and Professional Women joined a statewide effort to address the problem Thursday when they donated 12 sweat suits each to the two local hospitals.

Bettie Knoll, the Victim Advocate for the Cape Girardeau Police Department, received the sweat suits on behalf of the hospitals. Knoll said Thursday that the importance of having the sweat suits at the hospitals stems from the fact that the emergency rooms are where most rape victims are taken for exams, whether they report the rape or not.

"The sweat suits will help lessen the trauma on the victims," she said.

Brenda Neumeyer, president of the River City Business and Professional Women, said that this is the first year for the program for the Cape Girardeau chapter as well as for the entire Missouri federation.

"The sweat suits are warm and give a psychological feeling of comfort," Neumeyer said.

Neumeyer added that the supply, which includes sweat suits in men and children sizes in addition to women's, will be replenished by the group as needed.