On Thursday, April 27th the entire Wesleyan community is invited to rally at the steps of Olin at 8:00 pm for “Take Back the Night.” We will be marching from Olin Library to the Butterfields Courtyard where the first speak-out circle will be held. The first circle is reserved for the voices of female survivors and transgendered survivors who identify as female. This is in acknowledgement that women are disproportionately affected by sexual violence; the second and third circles will be open to the stories of all survivors. We will then march from the Butterfields to the second circle on the North College lawn. We will end at the CFA Courtyard where there will be a candlelight vigil and a final count-off. Afterwards, there will be informal discussions held in the following dorm lounges and houses: Hewitt 9, Clark, 200 Church, Womanist House, and Butt C.
Many different organizations have collaborated to bring about the event this year. The Cardinal Sinners and Onomatopoeia will be performing at the rally and the first speak-out circle. DKE, Psi U, and Womanist House will be providing refreshments during the march. The Peer Health Advocates have prepared resource packets for the post-event discussions and helped with Wesleyan’s first Clothesline Project, which will be displayed this week in front of Olin Library. Resident Advisors and WesDEFs will be facilitating the post-event discussions, and there will be volunteer crisis counselors available during the event from the Women and Families Centers of Middletown and Meriden.
In addition to Take Back the Night on April 27th, there will be a special Vespers on Healing at the Chaplain’s Office at 5:30 pm on Wednesday, April 26th. The Student of Color Preforum will be held before Take Back the Night in 200 Church at 5:30 pm. And the Clothesline Project will be up all week. For a complete listing of events and more information, please go to: http://www.wesleyan.edu/weswell/TBTN2006.htm.
We take back the night to raise awareness about sexual assault on our campus and in our communities. We take back the night to hear voices and stories that are otherwise silenced. We take back the night in support of those who have survived sexual violence and with the promise to never allow it to happen again at Wesleyan. We take back the night because everyone deserves to be safe. And we will continue to march each year until everyone is. Please join us.
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