St. Joe’s holds annual Take Back the Night vigil.

The lights were warm and dim in the Chapel of St. Joseph on April 17, but the energy in the room was anything but low as St. Joe’s held its 18th annual Take Back the Night vigil. In honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, the vigil is aimed at raising awareness of sexual and physical violence.

Beginning with the first Take Back the Night movement in 1975, which started due to an increasing amount of violence against women, many of these marches and vigils primarily focused on “stranger danger,”  focusing on victims not knowing their assailant. However as this violence progressed over the years, it became more common that individuals knew who assaulted them which furthered the importance behind the message of the night.

Organized by St. Joe’s Rape Education Prevention Program (REPP), the vigil included words from faculty, including Monica Nixon, Ph.D., assistant provost for Inclusion and Diversity and Millicent Feske, Ph.D., associate professor of theology and religious studies, along with students and alumni sharing their personal connections with sexual assault and violence. The vigil concluded with an open microphone segment, where survivors or anyone who has been affected by violence were invited to speak. 

Raquel Kennedy Bergen, Ph.D., director of gender studies and co-facilitator of REPP, opened the evening to create a safe, non-judgmental space where survivors or anyone who has been affected by violence could feel comfortable being part of the night or sharing their personal stories. Bergen explained the importance and power of what this evening stood for.

“This is one of the most important ways that we can honor the voices [of survivors] and give people a platform to share their experiences [and] make a difference in the lives of others,” Bergen said. “People will walk away from tonight hearing stories that will change their behavior, men who will treat women differently. [I want] survivors to have that space to feel love, to feel comfort, to feel like they’re finally understood.”

In addition to faculty involvement, students in REPP were instrumental in the planning of the evening as well. Brooke Boykas ’18, a general member of the program, has been involved in REPP in all her four years at St. Joe’s.

“This has always been an interest of mine,” Boykas said. “At a young age, my mom always taught me there’s a lot of things that you’ll never have, but your body will always be yours. Just to hear that someone violates that code blew my mind the first time you learn about things like that. Ever since then, it’s always been a really big interest and passion to make sure people still have those rights in tact, always.”

As a criminal justice major, Boykas explained being part of REPP and becoming educated on topics including sexual assault and child abuse has pushed her to become involved in other areas, such as her current work in prevention of sex trafficking.

Not only did Take Back the Night bring together current St. Joe’s members, it also brought back alumni, some of which had the opportunity to speak during various portions of the night about their work to break the silence and stop the violence. Two of the speakers included Jessica Heyman ’14, from the Victim Service Center of Montgomery County and Annie Karlen ’15 from Women Against Abuse.

In addition to the speakers, a few individuals had the opportunity to perform spoken word poetry. Among the artists was J.P. Hagerty ’16, who performed an original piece.

Although Hagerty did not know about the vigil until he was invited to speak at it two years ago, he quickly became immersed in the cause and explained the power of spoken word and how he wants to use the gifts he has to speak into these spaces through his faith. 

“I use it as an opportunity to share hope with people, and the opportunity for healing through faith in Jesus, that’s my perspective on it,” Hagerty said. “I want to come into a dark place and a place where people have experienced a lot of pain and hurt, and speak the hope that I’ve found through my faith in Jesus and invite other people into that. That’s my part in showing up and having the honor to speak.”

While it is encouraged for people to share their stories, it is understood that everyone copes with situations differently and may not be ready to speak out.

“I’d say everyone should take the opportunity to come, but if it’s not for you, that’s totally fine,” Boykas said. “Not everyone is ready to talk about their experiences or listen to these kinds of experiences, but just getting that door open and the conversation going is helping the movement.”

The recent #MeToo campaign, a movement against sexual harassment and assault that became viral in October 2017, was referenced in the Take Back the Night program in a quote from founder Tarana Burke, showing that the world is recognizing survivors of all diverse backgrounds and assuring that each story is heard.

“It’s obviously such an important night, and such a heavy night, but it’s interesting in the sense that there’s a lot of solidarity and comfort found in recognizing that you’re not alone,” Hagerty said. “I feel like that is one of the primary, if not the most valuable part, about this night. There’s a space where people can realize that they’re not alone in what they’ve experienced.”

If you or someone you know has been affected by sexual or physical violence, St. Joe’s offers a variety of support options to use as well as locations in the area:

REPP Helpline: 610-733-9650

St. Joe’s Counseling Center: 610-660-1090

Montgomery County Victim Services Center: 888-521-0983

Women’s Center of Montgomery County: 800-773-2424