SJU Students Stand in Solidarity to Take Back The Night

Take Back the Night, which was held on April 20, was a night that promoted people to take a stance on an incredibly important issue: sexual assault. The night spanned longer than I think anyone would have expected, until a little bit past 10 p.m., but this offered a great opportunity for many people to speak out and to be heard by their peers and the community. This event was created to set people free and to lift up voices to end violence, and I feel that this was accomplished. A private issue was taken and it was made into a public stance.

I had been to Take Back the Night two years ago as a freshman, and while I was profoundly affected that night and subsequent to that night, this time was even better. I was able to really connect with many of the speakers, and was touched by several of the people who spoke during the "speak out" portion of the night. There were many different aspects of sexual assault that were touched upon and which provided a comprehensive view of the total ramifications of sexual assault and rape.

Throughout the night, there was a consistent sense of solidarity with the survivors of rape and sexual assault, which made it more accessible to speaking out. It all began with an almost entirely packed chapel singing "Amazing Grace" together, which increased the sense of solidarity. The student greeting came from Amanda Neuber, who shared her stories as an RA and her having to help residents who have been sexually assaulted. She started by talking about her summer before coming to Saint Joseph's and her mother's advice to her before coming to school. One of the things that permeated Amanda's mind was the thought that "your body is a temple", which was subsequently echoed by other speakers as well and was used as a focal point. Your body is a temple and should be treated as such. We were then encouraged by Amanda as she closed her speech to, "Take care of yourselves, take care of each other, and take a stand."

The next speaker was Dr. Shoshana Alexander who took a different tone but nonetheless had much to offer. She personalized her experience by citing that she hoped to live in a world where, as a mother, she would not worry about her daughter walking alone at night. Hopefully that day will come. And soon.

Shoshana was followed by Jodi Plauche, who is a representative from Victim Service Center in Montgomery County. He provided more insight on the kind of services that are available to victims and their loved ones, which include the Counseling Center, REPP's beeper, and numerous other hotlines in the area. What most struck me about what he had to say was that, "Just because you are a victim, you don't have to stay one." Many speakers who later spoke out echoed this point when they discussed how they were trying or had moved on with their lives and did not want this occurrence to permanently change them. Each of the people that spoke seemed like incredible people who just happened to experience something traumatic. This concept of surviving and thriving was also echoed by Eric Stiles, who spoke about his experience of being abused as a young child.

Next, Dr. Phyllis Anastasio delved into the pervading gender stereotypes that surround us constantly. She gave several examples of messages that could subconsciously enter our mind and shape our viewpoints. She also cited that the "boys will be boys" mentality is not an acceptable excuse to commit an act of sexual assault. It also became apparent through her message that our society constantly blames the victim, which can easily be seen in the way that we treat Janet Jackson's wardrobe malfunction. This was the example given, and when you think about it, it really is true, because we do not even associate or blame Justin Timberlake for this happening. But I digress.

I think I got the most out of being challenged to do more and to do better. Fr. McGlone really offered up a challenge to all that were present to "be the voice of the people who are often voiceless". He also directly addressed the victims saying that they should, "take back your own sense of self". What I found absolutely brilliant (and I am surprised that no one thought of this previously) was Fr. McGlone's idea of creating a group of Men Against Rape on campus. All of the members of REPP this year are females, and it is important that men take a stance on this as well. In order to eradicate all violence, everyone must speak out and take a strong stance against it.

I also found it unbelievable that some students who spoke were able to talk about forgiveness. That takes a great amount of character to be able to forgive the person who put you in the awful position and subsequently affected the rest of your life. But the fact that people were able to talk about forgiveness needs to be applauded and truly shows the strength of character that people possess on this campus. There is no more room for hate and it should not be tolerated anymore in any form. Take Back the Night evoked many emotions, but I think that if no other message is to be taken from the night or this article, the fact that we need to actively try to change our surroundings needs to be focused on. And we also need to support each other during times of difficulty to hopefully achieve a state of forgiveness and peace.