Take Back the Night: ways to combat sexual violence
This is the Our View, prepared by the Editorial Board and should be considered the institutional voice of The Record.
Central Minnesota’s “Take Back the Night” (TBTN) rally and march is being held this Thursday, Sept. 28, from 6:30-9:00 p.m. in Lake George Park in St. Cloud. This event is held annually in bringing awareness to the continual work needed to combat sexual violence and to provide support to victims of this violence.
CSB+SJU is no different from any other campus across the country. Understanding some of the ways you can help prevent sexual violence and promoting safety on campus is vital to a great college experience.
According to their website, TBTN’s goal is “to end sexual violence in all forms, including sexual assault, sexual abuse, trafficking, stalking, gender harassment, relationship violence and to support survivors in their healing journeys.” TBTN’s event this Thursday is one of the many worldwide movements that occurs every year. Some of the movements include marches, rallies, protests, speak-outs and initiatives toward ending sexual violence in all forms.
Its name originated from its roots in the early 1970s with those who first advocated a woman’s right to walk alone at night without the fear of being raped, harassed or otherwise harmed. Several places like Philadelphia, San Francisco and Los Angeles gained media attention due to the several incidents of violence against women. Students at the University of Southern Florida took to the streets to march through campus with witches’ brooms and black capes demanding safety on campus. This was just the very beginning of what would become a movement.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “over half of women and almost one in three men have experienced sexual violence involving physical contact during their lifetimes.” According to the American Psychological Association (APP), sexual assault in campuses alone “makes up the greatest proportion (43%) of total on-campus crimes in the United States.” These statistics alone show that this is an obvious and prevalent issue.
Although cases of sexual assault are unfortunately common on campus, we must take measures to decrease the number of cases on campus. One of the ways to help prevent sexual assault is helping someone before the situation gets that far. A bystander is someone who is present when an event takes place but does not necessarily mean they were involved directly. You might have heard the term “bystander intervention” used when describing a situation when a bystander steps in. These small, simple actions of just stepping in can change the outcome drastically, and at times, these small interventions help prevent cases of sexual assault.
In the case you or someone you know has been affected by sexual violence, there are multiple resources available. The National Sexual Violence Resource Center’s website contains several on where to get help, learn about sexual violence and what you can do during the healing process.
For questions regarding reporting, support and resources at CSB+SJU specifically, students can contact the Title IX Office at 320-363-5943. The “Title IX – Sexual Misconduct Prevention” webpage on the CSB+SJU website contains reporting resources in both on- and off-campus avenues and a Title IX/Sexual Misconduct Complaint Report form.
Some on-campus resources include project EMBRACE (Empowerment, Belief, Respect, Advocacy, Care and Equity) and CERTS (Consent, Equality, Respect, Talking and Safety). CERTS is a club on campus that focuses on “campaigns, events, bystander intervention training and collaborating with other on-campus organizations regarding healthy relationships and consent culture.” CERTS addresses “sexual assault, dating, stalking and domestic violence.” Their overall goal is to create conversation surrounding sexual assault and promote safety at CSB+SJU.
Walk-in-Wednesdays is another great resource on campus. Walk-in-Wednesday occurs every Wednesday from 1-3 p.m. located in Lottie Hall (010) at St. Ben’s and Mary Hall (010) at St. John’s. Available to all CSB+SJU students, sessions consisting of 20-minute conversations with a mental health clinician free of charge and anonymous.
While there has certainly been work done, this work must continue. Realize the power of education and continue to have these uncomfortable conversations. For those who have experienced the effects of sexual violence, we see you, we hear you and most of all, you are not alone.