1 in 3 women worldwide experience some form of sexual violence or intimate partner violence. 1 in 6 men experience sexual violence, and less than 50% of victims report these crimes. These three troubling statistics showcase why it is so important to have bring awareness to the issue of sexual assault.
On Tuesday Night, Pace University’s Pleasantville campus held their annual “Take Back the Night” event. The doors opened early, to reveal a resource fair, free t-shirts, pizza and a sea of chairs waiting to be filled.
Organizations including Putnam County Women’s Center, Pace Women and Justice Center, Pace F.I.R.E (Fighting Ignorance and Rape through Education), and Pace University’s Center for Community Action and Research were in attendance. Each table at the resource fair provided readily available information for them. These resources served as a reminder to students that they are not alone and that there are resources at their fingertips.
The back of the room was adorned with a sign that read “What will you do to prevent sexual violence?” markers surrounded the table, which allowed students to write on the poster and fill it with their plans to combat sexual violence. Bold words like “Speak up” were etched on to the paper. Showcasing how passionate students in attendance were about taking steps to end sexual violence.
Once the main event started, the room was packed with over 200 students. The first event was an event led by Rachel Simon Pace’s LGBTQ coordinator and Assistant Director of Multicultural Affairs & Diversity Programs. It was a simple, yet shocking and revealing index card activity. Students wrote an instance of sexual violence they have experienced or know of someone else that has experienced it. Students were able to reflect and see that sexual assault had affected almost everyone in the room in some shape or form.
Keynote speaker and professor Oliva Worden, a survivor of sexual assault was introduced by student Samantha Ortiz; a student who she mentored and inspired to cope with her own trauma. After a powerful introduction by Ortiz, Worden went on to give an inspiring and impactful speech on survivorship and the strength a survivor of sexual violence holds within. Worden was keen on reminding people who have been through a form of sexual violence that they are not victims at all, that in reality they are stronger than they know and that they are survivors.
After Wordens moving speech, the night concluded with a powerful march around Choate Pond led by POWER, Pace University’s women’s empowerment group and a pledge for all people in attendance to take.
The sentiment of the night left people feeling hopeful, including Erin Doolin, the Sexual Assault Prevention Specialist who stated during the night, “I can say that I am hopeful that we are finally seeing a shift in how we view survivors and the issue of sexual violence. The worst thing we could do right now is become complacent – and it’s my hope that by continuing the conversation through events like these, we can turn that conversation into positive change.”