Hundreds of students marched through campus Thursday night to show their support for survivors of sexual assault as part of the annual Take Back the Night event.
The event began in Europe as a way to advocate for women’s public safety at night, according to Take Back the Night’s website. In the late 1960s, the movement spread to the U.S. and Canada.
Mitchell Moravec, a student worker at the Women’s Center and a senior studying psychology, attended the event and was impressed by the amount of student involvement.
“Seeing a lot of different groups come out and support each other is amazing; I love seeing the collaboration,” Moravec said.
While marching, students echoed chants such as, “No more silence, no more violence,” “Join together, free our lives, we will not be victimized” and “Wolfpack unite, take back the night.” The march began in Stafford Commons, went through North Campus and then finished inside of Talley Student Union.
One of the chants, “Sexist, rapist, anti-gay, don’t you take our night away,” highlighted how this issue affects the LGBT community.
“The LGBT community in particular has a disproportionate rate of reporting sexual assault, but we know that there is a high preponderance of sexual assault, particularly in light of people being forced to use restrooms that they don’t identify with,” said Natalie Nguyen, assistant director of the GLBT Center. “It is very hard for LGBT people to come forward and say that they’ve been sexually assaulted, especially if they’ve been sexually assaulted by someone of the same sex.”
On the GLBT Center’s participation in the event, Nguyen said, “Sexual assault is an issue that affects a lot of people — not just women, but transgender people, men and all those who know the survivors.”
The march began with members of the ROTC leading participants.
“The Army is here to march against sexual assault because we at the Army take sexual assault very seriously,” said Sam Hamacher, a freshman studying molecular, cellular and developmental biology and a member of ROTC.
Many student groups set up tables around Stafford Commons, including Students Advocating Gender Equality, Student Health, the Clothesline Project, the Movement, the GLBT Center and Alpha Phi Gamma.
Alpha Phi Gamma used its table to present the “These Hands Don’t Hurt Wall,” a promise to never use your hands or words to physically or emotionally hurt someone.
Alpha Phi Gamma hosted a similar event earlier this year called APhiG Speaks as part of its philanthropy to raise awareness against domestic violence and sexual assault, according to Amie Nguyen, the co-philanthropy chair of Alpha Phi Gamma and a senior studying biological sciences.
Students participating in the event seemed involved and passionate about the cause.
“I have friends who have been victims of sexual assault and even though I haven’t personally gone through that, I think, statistically, no matter who you are and whether or not you’re aware of it, you know someone that’s been affected by it,” said Jessica Mahinthakumar, a junior studying chemical engineering. “I think it’s nice that no matter who you are you can come to this event to support victims of sexual assault and take a stand against it.”
The event featured several speakers, including Sgt. Timothy Hammonds of University Police, Sara Forcella, the rape prevention education coordinator of the Women’s Center, Renee Wells, director of the GLBT Center, Christopher Jefferson, the associate director of Fraternity and Sorority Life, and Maggie Schroder the program coordinator of the Movement Peer Educators.
The night ended with a Speak Out, a safe space for survivors of sexual assault, supporters and friends to share their stories as a way of promoting healing and community. Counselors and mental health ambassadors were also present.
