In honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, the St. Edward’s University chapter of It’s On Us (IOU) held its annual sexual assault awareness event, Take Back the Night (TBTN). This was the last event in their spring semester Action Week. Students, faculty and staff gathered on St. Andre Courtyard, where other organizations were tabling, and IOU was handing out posters and bracelets made at their other events over the week.
TBTN has historical significance and began in the 1970s, when the media showed a large amount of violence against women in Philadelphia, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Women marched at the University of Southern California to demand more resources and safety for women on their campus. Many more marches were organized to honor people who were survivors of sexual assault, and it has carried on ever since.
“I think that having it in this kind of march format allows for people to come in this huge number and not feel isolated in a way they don’t feel as on display as compared to a smaller, intimate workshop setting or regular event where we get maybe 15, 20 people coming regularly,” IOU President Denise Torres, said.
Students participated in a silent march from St. Andre Courtyard to the university seal. They gathered holding their signs and comforting one another as IOU members read anonymous letters from students about their experience either as a survivor of sexual assault or being close to someone who is a survivor. The marchers then made their way to Trustee Lawn, where everyone was asked to write letters to survivors and hang them up on a tree, before engaging in a final march to the Red Doors outside of Main Building. Afterward, speeches were given by Torres, IOU Vice President Lexi Sanchez and Vice President of Student Affairs Lisa Kirkpatrick.
Not only did IOU feel this was an important cause, but student’s support shined through with students from all walks of life, including sports teams, coming out to support the cause.
“I think it’s important to speak on things that are uncomfortable and growing up in a household with three females, myself, I have two older sisters,” senior Masood Porsa, who plays for the St. Edward’s Men’s Soccer team, said. “It’s definitely an important subject that I think doesn’t get spoken on enough.”
St. Edward’s has a history of not having large participation for most student events. However, TBTN had a substantial number of students and faculty, which, for Torres and Sanchez, demonstrated the level of care and community St. Edward’s actually has.
“It’s very reassuring because there’s not big turnouts for events, and I feel like what we do on campus is so important,” Sanchez said. “So it’s very reassuring to see so many people who do come and do care, and you see them grabbing posters, you see them doing the tattoos, and even if it’s just a little thing, it just shows that everyone cares. It’s very nice to see that the hilltop cares.”
