MICHAEL GIDALY/Arizona Daily Wildcat Andrea Fuller Cooper, mother of former Delta Delta Delta member Kristen Cooper speaks at a meeting to raise awareness of date rape on college campuses.

About 600 students listened last night as a mother told the story of her daughter's rape and suicide in order to educate them about how to help loved ones who have been raped.

Andrea Fuller Cooper, whose daughter committed suicide in 1995 after being raped, was invited to speak to UA students on the various ways to support a loved one if rape does occur and how to prevent depression before it leads to suicide.

"I never dreamed I would lose my child to suicide," Cooper said. "I was not able to help my daughter, but I hope I will be able to help someone in this room."

The FBI estimates that one out of every three women will be raped in her lifetime, and 30 percent of all rape victims contemplate suicide afterwards, Cooper said.

Suicide is the third leading cause of death among people 18 to 24 years old, following accidents and homicides, Cooper said.

Kristin, Cooper's daughter, was raped by someone she knew. She never told her parents, but did share her experience and her depression with friends from high school and her sorority sisters in Alpha Chi Omega at Baker University in Kansas City, Kan.

Cooper said that 85 percent of those who are raped know their attacker.

Family and friends need to pay close attention to the needs of someone who has just been victimized, she said.

The most important thing a friend can do is listen to the victim, Cooper said.

Cooper added that friends and family of rape victims should also offer shelter, be attainable, give comfort, be patient and understanding, and offer to assist victims if they go to the police.

Ken Marsh, director of counseling and psychological services at the UA, agreed.

"We're a real fix-it oriented culture," Marsh said. "Giving advice is not what people need, they need a good listener."

Cooper said that rape victims are never "asking for it," comparing it with a robbery in a shopping mall.

"Rape is a crime of the heart for the victim and a crime of convenience for the perpetrator," Cooper said. "If you go shopping and you've got $300 in your wallet, were you asking to be robbed? No."

Mariel Furst, the vice president of programming for the Panhellenic Association, said she saw Cooper at the Western Regional Greek Leadership Conference in California last semester, and wanted to bring her to Arizona.

Alpha Chi Omega member Meghan Kelly said she was impressed with the speech.

"It was more personal than I was expecting, and informative in an upbeat way for such a deep topic," said Kelly, vice president of recruitment for Alpha Chi Omega.

Colleen Moran, the vice president of business and finance of the Panhellenic Association said Cooper was better than they expected, even though they'd seen her before.

"Every time she gets better," Moran said. "It's different every time because it's personal."

Students who are raped off campus can call 1-800-656-HOPE for help.

For assistance on campus, students can call the OASIS Center for Sexual Assault and Relationship Violence at 626-2051.