N.C. State students gathered on the Stafford Lawn to protest sexual assault by attending the Take Back the Night event Thursday.
The event was part a month-long effort to raise awareness about sexual assault at N.C. State, and has been celebrated for the last 27 years.
The protest began with opening remarks from event coordinators, Ashley Simons-Rudolph and Otis McGresham from the Women’s Center.
“Tonight we are silent no more,” Simons-Rudolph said.
McGresham discussed the importance of raising awareness on sexual assault on campus.
“Nationally we know that sexual violence and gender violence is a pervasive problem, especially on college campuses,” McGresham said. “Take Back the Night is an important event, because it shows our solidarity as a Wolfpack community to stand up against perpetrators and sexual violence, and stand in support of those who have been impacted by it. It’s a great tradition that we have had. It is 27 years strong and it is great to see this many students, faculty and people from the community supporting this cause.”
There were several speeches given before the walk began. The speeches were given by Joanne Woodard, the vice provost for the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity, Sergeant Timothy Hammonds from the N.C. State Police Department, Liza Sagor from the N.C. State Counseling Center, Deborah Hooker, the director of the Women’s & Gender Studies program, and Justine Hollingshead, the former director of the Center for GLBT Programs and Services and assistant to the Dean of Academic and Student Affairs.
After the walk around campus, the attendees of the event returned to the Stafford Lawn and listen to a speech titled, “How students can support survivors.”
The attendees also listened to N.C. State student survivors tell their own personal stories. Survivors were asked to get on stage and tell their stories in front of the group in an effort to demonstrate courage and let students know they are not alone.
The Clothesline Project, an initiative designed to provide survivors with a way to tell their story by designing and painting their own t-shirt, was advertised at the protest. Each t-shirt was meant to portray a different meaning, showing the different situations people have been through.
Attendees lit luminaries in front of the stage in honor of past survivors of sexual assault. Supporters of survivors also donated luminaries to represent the survivor’s courage and strength.
Upcoming events to raise sexual assault awareness on campus include “Sex Signals: Improv Comedy Show,” on April 15 where students will gather at the campus cinema and enjoy a show about sex, dating and consent. “Lunch & Learn,” a program to teach students about the subject of military sexual trauma as well the precautions being taken to prevent this problem, will be held on Tuesday, April 22 On Thursday, April 26, survivors from the Raleigh community will share their stories at the “Community Partner Event: Are You Afraid of the Dark?”