Take Back the Night : Student groups march, speak out against sexual violence

They shout to combat the silence forced upon them. They unite as a community because men are victims, too. They march through the night reclaiming the streets, which for many years have been sources of fear and violence.

Crowded on the steps of Hendricks Chapel, domestic violence coalitions, allied organizations, greek organizations and supportive individuals in the Syracuse University community reaffirmed their commitment to ending the violence that threatens women’s personal freedom and safety Wednesday during Take Back the Night, an annual rally, march and speak-out against sexual and domestic violence sponsored by the SU Rape: Advocacy, Prevention and Education Center.

‘It is important for members of our community to take part in events like TBTN

because the sad reality is that a large part of our population has either been affected

by sexual, domestic or partner violence, or knows someone who has been affected by it,’ said Greg Baker, a member of the 2007 TBTN Planning Committee.



TBTN is an international tradition with marches and rallies occurring around the world since 1976.

‘The rally is really a culmination of a whole year of talking about how it takes an entire community to create a safe environment,’ said Janet Epstein, associate director of the SU R.A.P.E. Center, a leading voice for domestic violence victims and their advocates on campus.

Jerome Hall, graduate of the College of Human Services and Health Professions’ School of Social Work, was the keynote speaker at the rally.

Hall said he was rocked by the gruesome events that unfolded Monday on the Virginia Tech campus, when a lone gunman killed 32 individuals before taking his own life.

‘I had no family at Virginia Tech, I had no children there, but it rocked me to the core,’ he said. ‘Violence isn’t a security issue. It’s a human issue. It’s a social issue.’

Hall promotes social justice through many of his community-focused endeavors. His work at Vera House includes coordinating the Alternatives Program, Onondaga County’s only domestic violence education program. Currently, he provides therapeutic support and education to men in the community in an effort to open up discussions focusing on male privilege, gender roles, attitudes toward women and abuse.

‘We have a voice in the midst of violence, sexual assault and domestic violence,’ he said. ‘We have a voice in families, in classrooms, in workplaces and in places of worship. We save lives by being leaders in this line of work.’

After the rally, colorful throngs of attendees marched with voices raised in an act of solidarity to protest sexual victimization in all forms. They brandished signs that read: ‘Because the Night Belongs to Us’ and ‘This is What a Feminist Looks Like.’

‘I myself have never been affected by domestic violence, but there have been family members and close friends affected,’ said Joseph Alvarado, senior international relations and political philosophy major.

The march concluded with a survivor speak-out in Hendricks, where those whose lives have been forever changed by violence were invited and encouraged to share their experiences in an empowering space.

‘It’s really easy sometimes to get caught up with mundane stuff in your own life at the expense of trying to help others,’ Baker said. ‘Programs like Take Back the Night provide a space for us to remember that we are all part of this community and that we all should have a vested interest in each other’s well-being.’

Statistics show that one in four college-age women will experience a sexual assault by the time they complete college. The goal of TBTN and associated events is not only to educate women and men on the SU campus about the prevalence of sexual assault, but also to join together and publicly take a stand to signify that the violence must end.

‘If peace is ever going to be achievable,’ Alvarado said, ‘it’s going to start on a personal level.’





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