Almost forty years ago, a group of Philadelphia women mounted the first ever ‘Take Back The Night’ march in response to the brutal murder of a young microbiologist, Susan Alexander Speeth. The event, which was intended as both a vigil to Speeth’s memory as well as a protest against the ubiquitous and paralyzing threat of sexual violence, has since become a college campus staple. This Thursday, Northwestern’s TBTN tradition will continue with a kick-off BBQ at the Women’s Center at 5:00, a rally at the Rock at 6:00, a march around campus, and a Speak-Out at the Norris Dittmar Gallery at 7:00.
Given TBTN’s longevity, it’s worth taking stock of what has and hasn’t changed since the inaugural rally back in 1975. Concepts like date rape, statutory rape, sexual harassment, and rape culture have emerged from the shadows of pre-feminist shame and secrecy and entered into our contemporary cultural definition of sexual violence. Rape crisis centers and help lines, unheard of in the early seventies, are now standard in most American cities. Rape victim advocates provide survivors with comprehensive support in emergency rooms and courtrooms. And starting this year, Northwestern has its own Center for Awareness, Response & Education (CARE) as well as a fulltime Coordinator of Sexual Violence Response Services and Advocacy.
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This groundswell in response services is something to be celebrated. Fewer services, however, have found effective ways to get to the real heart of the matter – that is to say, few have focused on deconstructing rape culture through sexual violence prevention efforts aimed at potential perpetrators. Northwestern groups like the Sexual Health & Assault Peer Educators (SHAPE) and Men Against Rape & Sexual Assault (MARS) preach the gospel of enthusiastic consent and emphasize that the absence of ‘no’ does not mean ‘yes.’ Public awareness campaigns like this one provide a refreshing and much needed alternative to traditional rape prevention narratives, which counterintuitively place the responsibility on women to prevent rape through self-defense and vigilant behavior, rather than educating potential offenders about not raping.
These efforts are a start, but in a culture in which governors deny millions of dollars in funding to rape crisis centers, presidential candidates imply that certain types of rape are illegitimate, and Congress’s reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act is in serious question, we cannot afford to tune out rape culture, much as we might like to. Take Back The Night represents an opportunity for us as college women to come together and break the silence that too-often surrounds issues of sexual violence. Although the tradition is nearly forty years old, TBTN is as relevant to our lives as ever. You can find more details about Northwestern’s TBTN here.