“Out of the dorms, into the streets, we won’t be raped, we won’t be beat,” chanted a group of about 80 students and organizers Thursday night as they marched across campus in the culminating event of Sexual Assault Prevention Week, Take Back the Night.
The annual event began at 7:30 p.m., with a crowd of students gathered in front of the Marketplace. Coordinators kicked off the evening by presenting poetry readings and rallying speeches to get participants enthusiastic about their cause of raising awareness about sexual assault.
The group then marched to West Campus, gaining momentum as they headed toward Duke Chapel.
Escorted by police and carrying bullhorns, students chanted slogans such as “Take back the night, the time is near. We will not be controlled by fear.”
Marching through the streets and pathways from East Campus through Central Campus, the group reached its destination 40 minutes later directly in front of the Chapel. The crowd quieted and swelled to about 150 as passersby joined the group for the Speak Out portion of the event.
“Speaking out in such a public setting is a major step toward overcoming and defeating the stigma that surrounds [sexual assault],” said Libby Webb, a clinical associate for Counseling and Psychological Services.
Peer educators for sexual harassment and rape prevention broke the ice with their own stories and reflections on the value of the experience.
Encouraging others to step forward, Jean Leonard, coordinator of Sexual Assault Support Services at the Women’s Center said, “I hope to create a safe, comfortable environment for students to voice their feelings and thoughts.”
Senior Rachel Winnik, organizer of the event this year, and other peer educators stressed the value and empowering influence of speaking out, some adding their personal tales of recovering and dealing with the day-to-day aftermath of sexual assault.
“The healing never ends,” Winnik said. “You’re never cured, but you can be a survivor.”
Audience members then broke long silences with stories of their own ordeals or those of friends. Men and women alike spoke about the dilemmas they have faced pertaining to sexual assault, saying they hoped to connect with and inspire others in the audience.
After the Speak Out ended, students lit candles in honor of all those affected by sexual assault and then proceeded to the Women’s Center for cookies and milk, concluding what Leonard called a “night of comfort.”
At the Women’s Center, director Donna Lisker reflected on the importance of speaking publicly to erase the stigma associated with victims of this crime.
“It’s so important because sexual assault is a silent crime, there’s all the shame and guilt to be addressed before victims can move on,” she said.
Participants relaxed with the event’s organizers and coped with the night’s emotional impact.
“I think this week and especially this event were major steps in combatting a culture that often confuses sex with violence and other negative things,” Webb said.
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