April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month and at UNT there have been multiple events for students to take part in to help spread the awareness and advocate against sexual assault on campus throughout the entire month. One of the biggest events that takes place is this Thursday, April 28, from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the Library Mall (formally known as the Onstead Promenade) and students should do everything they can to be involved!
Take Back The Night is an event that first began in the 1970s as a result of sexual assault and gendered violence. The mission of Take Back The Night is to create a safe community and respectful relationships through awareness events and initiatives seeking to end all forms of sexual violence.
UNT’s first time hosting the event was last April and this year the Mean Green has been selected by the national Take Back The Night organization to hold its own 10 Points of Light ceremony. Every year the national Shine Your Light Foundation holds this event in which they designate 10 locations circling the United States to simultaneously hold a march and vigil to show support, solidarity and unity to survivors in the commitment to ending sexual violence. As you can imagine, this is a huge and very exciting thing for UNT to have been selected.
There is no cost to attend the event and students can take part in the march and vigil, giveaways, performances and speeches from survivors and a resource fair with groups like the police department, Denton’s Friends of the Family, and many more.
I was able to sit down with UNT’s very own Survivor Advocate, Renee McNamara, to discuss the event and ask a few important questions:
Why should students be involved with Take Back The Night?
Renee believes that students should be involved with the event to increase awareness and education on sexual assault. There an alarming number of people who don’t realize that the definition of sexual assault covers a wide range of actions. Student participation will also help show survivors that they are not alone in their fight to end sexual violence.
What should students know about Take Back The Night?
Aside from the events listed above, Renee believes it is important for students to recognize the movement. The theme for Take Back The Night 2016 is “Prevention Is Possible”; this means that everyone has a role in the prevention of sexual violence on and off campuses across the nation.
What change do you want to see from last year’s event?
Growth. Last year there was a great turnout of people advocating against sexual assault, but just as with any movement, growth is necessary to not only keep the idea alive and thriving, but to allow voices to be heard on this issue.
What does Take Back The Night mean for survivors?
You’re not alone. Take Back The Night means solidarity. It shows survivors that they aren’t alone in their suffering while also educating advocates and allies by providing a plethora of information around the cause. Take Back The Night gives survivors the chance to find out who they can talk to and who they can go to for help if they aren’t already aware.
Students are encouraged to bring signs and posters advocating against sexual assault. They’re even encouraged to incorporate their organizations' names into the signs to express solidarity.
