Group to walk for victim empowerment
Are you afraid of the dark? One campus organization is making sure you won’t have to be again.
The Women’s Studies Student Organization is one of the main student groups hosting the annual Take Back the Night event today.
Avery White, co-chair of WSSO, said Take Back the Night is a community event where survivors of sexual abuse and their friends and family can get together to offer support to others who have been sexually assaulted.
TAKE BACK THE NIGHT
Where: Tate Plaza
Full Lineup:
5:00 p.m. – Fish Schticks (riot grrrl band)
Sissy Weldon, President of R.S.V.P.
5:30 – Allison Weiss
6:00 – Dr. Victoria Davion
6:10 – Larry Gourdine, Office of Violence Prevention
6:20 – Sally Sheppard and Sarah Krieger
6:30 – Keith Sims of Safe Campuses Now
6:40 – Joan Prittie of Project Safe
6:50 – WSSO delivers instructions about the march
“Anyone can understand the need to feel supported even if they are not victims of sexual assault,” White said. “And it always feels good to provide support to others.”
Natasha Murphy, a graduate student from Between, said the event would be held all day starting with tables at the Tate Plaza and ending with a march to City Hall.
“We have a lot [of] good speakers lined up,” Murphy said. “Our last speaker from Project Safe is really great.”
Tiffany Ball, WSSO co-chair, said, “We have bands, speakers, progressive organization tabling, information on sexual health, a march down Lumpkin Street and a ‘survivor speak-out’ every year.”
Murphy said the march down Lumpkin Street is usually the “powerful part” of the event.
According to Ball, a junior from Dalton, the event started on campus as a way to speak out against the violence directed toward women that happened downtown more than 20 years ago.
However, Ball understands the issues of sexual assault and violence are still relevant at the University today.
“This is a popular event with both students and community members,” she said.
“It’s important to speak out symbolically against the sexual harassment and violence on campus.”
Ball pointed out the student sexual harassment cases and missing students are incidents of sexual harassment and violence still happening today on campus.
“These are issues that affect everybody regardless of class or race. University students need to open up and discuss these issues so that we can become a healthier community,” White said.
“Sexual assault happens in Athens and to University students,” Murphy said. “We need to discuss and start a dialogue on this to stand out against it.”
