by Miriam Gottfried
News Staff

Six hundred and eighty-seven students supported victims of rape and sexual assault Thursday night by attending Take Back the Night, an annual event giving survivors a forum to tell their stories in a safe environment.

Organized by the Women’s Resource Center, an umbrella organization and information center for women’s groups on campus, the procession of students was attentive and respectful of the issue’s solemnity.

“Take Back the Night is an outreach to survivors who feel alone. We’re trying to make it known that sexual assaults are occurring and that they need to stop,” said event co-coordinator Emily Berman ’03 who is also one of the heads of the Women’s Resource Center.

Held annually at campuses nationwide, the march began on the steps of Olin Library at 7:30 p.m. with a performance by the Cardinal Sinners, an all female a cappella group, singing “Mother, I feel you under my feet. Mother, I feel your heart beat.”

It later proceeded to the Butterfield courtyard, and then to the field between Psi U. and Williams St., coming to a close in the courtyard of the Center for the Arts.

Students commented that few marchers were chanting “Women unite, take back the night” as they walked between courtyard forum, compared to prior years.

Each venue provided an opportunity for victims of rape and sexual assault to come forward anonymously and share their stories in the confidential “safe space” described by Karen Ben-Moshe ’02, an event organizer and leader of the Women’s Resource Center.

“I think giving a voice to people who have been sexually assaulted and providing a safe space for them [is the most important goal of the event],” she said.

Ben-Moshe cited statistics in her introductory remarks that a woman is raped every six minutes in the U.S., but only 50 percent of the cases ever get reported to the police.

“This is not an evening without hope,” she added. “Part of its intention is to initiate meaningful dialogues about sexual assault.”

Though the first individual spoke to the large circle of students assembled after tension-filled minutes gathered in the Butterfield courtyard, more victims quickly followed, each telling a different, but similar story to the nearly silent crowd.

“I didn’t know what to think when people started to talk. I was shocked. I started seeing people who sit next to me in psych class, people who I know from basketball, people who I’ve seen on campus, and it was really shocking,” said Ashley Elia ‘04, recalling her first experience last year with Take Back the Night.

“I told a lot of freshmen to come because it is such a powerful experience,” she added.

Berman also recognized the importance of having freshmen attend the event.

“I consider it to be one of the best events on campus. I remember it making me feel like Wesleyan was a real community when I was a freshman,” she said.

Lisa Tobias ’04 described her first experience in a similar way.

“It’s the ultimate feeling of community,” she said.

“I came to support all these victims and especially those who are still in silence and are afraid to admit what has happened,” said Kate Mitchell ’05, one first-time attendee.

“I think everybody should show support for this type of thing. I was really overwhelmed about how much [sexual assault] was out there,” said Richard Aybar ’05.

“A friend of mine was raped, and I keep coming because I do it for her,” said Arnie Peterson ’03.

About 25 victims told their stories during the course of the night’s events.

Berman also emphasized the importance of showing continued support for victims of rape and sexual assault after freshman year.

“Take Back the Night is something that people should attend every year because every year there are new people getting up to speak, and they need to be supported,” Berman said.

Ben-Moshe concurred, stating that students have a continued responsibility to support their fellow community members.

“People who’ve been sexually assaulted have to deal with this their whole lives, and it’s really important to keep supporting them,” she said.

Ben-Moshe also stated that a key function of Take Back the Night was to serve as an educational forum to draw attention to the issue.

“The other goal is to completely spread awareness of the issue of sexual assault. I don’t think people realize that this can be someone you thought you knew very well, and this can be part of them,” she said.

In the final circle at the CFA courtyard, participants held candles and counted off aloud. This year 687 students were in CFA circle; last year’s count was 653.

“This is one of the reasons I came to Wesleyan. This is a place where people can come to terms with a lot of things,” Mitchell said.