The 32nd annual Take Back the Night (TBTN) event, organized by the University of Oregon’s Women’s Center and Sexual Assault Support Services (SASS), is making headway this year. An international event that supports survivors of sexual violence and their allies, TBTN helps people speak out against sexual violence in their communities and the world. On April 28, from 6 to 8:30 p.m., a rally in the EMU Amphitheater, march through downtown Eugene and survivor-speak-out on 8th and Olive will show how TBTN has become a visible means of fighting sexual violence in our communities.
I spoke with University of Oregon student Liliana Villanueva, the event organizer, for more background on the event.
Emily Wilson: Why did you become involved with TBTN?
Liliana Villanueva: I’ve been involved with TBTN in Ashland, Oregon, but I just transferred to the University of Oregon, so this is my first time in Lane County as an event organizer. It’s a very different environment to be in. I’ve been an advocate before for survivors of sexual assault, like doing hospital visits and workshops for victims of domestic violence, but TBTN is something everyone can take part in. Everyone can take part in it and collectively work together to support survivors.
EW: Why is this event so important?
LV: Personally, as an advocate for SASS, I see this as an open forum to discuss sexual assault. TBTN creates a safe space for the survivors of sexual violence, as well as helps to inform others on the issue of sexual violence. Additionally, it helps break down the stereotypes of the victims of sexual assault. For example, it’s not just women who are afflicted; a survivor can be any identifiable person. TBTN helps to raise awareness and gives better understandings of what perpetuates sexual violence in our communities and, on a larger scale, the world.
EW: What do you hope people will gain from this event?
LV: During the speak-out portion of the event, for the survivors, we hope that it aids in their healing process and empowers them to “take back” being a victim. We also hope that those who participate in the rally, march and speak-out learn more about what they can do to end sexual violence. The more conversations we have about these tough issues, the more people take initiative in the movement to end sexual violence of all kinds. The education component to TBTN is huge.
EW: Education component?
LV: There’s only so much you can do helping the victims of sexual violence before you start realizing that just patching things up for the time being doesn’t solve the root of the problem behind sexual violence. We want to educate and raise awareness about the gender issues behind sexual violence and what we can do to stop sexual violence. Plus, we try to ensure that TBTN’s message is accessible to everyone; we have Spanish and American Sign Language interpreters, and we’ve done tremendous outreach and publicity efforts to the community. We encourage everyone to come and participate because everyone can benefit from learning how to support survivors and end sexual violence in our lives.
EW: How is this TBTN different from last year’s?
LV: One big change we’ve made is changing the time of the event. It’s earlier in the day to symbolize how sexual assault doesn’t just happen at night. So, in that sense, we’re taking back the day as well. Additionally, we’ve changed the speak-out portion of the event, so that only survivors are allowed to speak; no one is allowed to speak on their behalf. We wanted to be solely focused on just survivors; everyone else is a witness to the survivors’ stories. In this way, we can truly create a safe environment where survivors can relate to one another and share their stories. They’re able to break their silence and perhaps speak about something they’ve never been able to speak about before.
EW: To sum it up, what are some last words you’d like to say about TBTN?
LV: The UO Women’s Center and SASS invites everyone to come out for this event. It’s a great way to learn about what we can all do to end sexual violence. Also, I want to make it known that we have support services for anyone who needs help. SASS has 24-hour hotlines, and by coming to the event, you can connect with other survivors, support them and take a stand against sexual violence.