Rape-awareness march hits campus Thursday
The march will feature speakers beforehand and an open forum afterward.
Published Sept. 21, 2004
Both women and men are taking to the streets Thursday to show their support and raise awareness for rape and sexual assault victims. The Take Back the Night march goes through campus and parts of Columbia and will begin at 6 p.m. Thursday on Lowry Mall.
Thirteen organizations will sponsor the event, and the opening festivities will include sign-making and refreshments, said Gretchen Reinders, co-coordinator for the Rape Education Office.
Pre-march activities also will include five speakers from Columbia and MU, who will speak on the theme, "We're All In This Together: What's Your Role?" The speakers' goal is to show how rape and sexual assault are societal problems and how everyone can make a difference.
"The march is important because it is a way to branch out from the campus to the city of Columbia and it is a very supportive environment for survivors, family, friends and supporters," Reinders said. "In a sense, it is a very effective way to take to the street and have a visible reaction to the often silent crime."
Following the march, there will be a speak-out, which is a confidential open forum to discuss any issues relating to rape or sexual assault, Reinders said.
The march is often an emotional experience for participants, and the forum allows them a place to express their feelings or speak with a counselor if necessary.
Peer Rape Educator Jordan Hoyt said the march is open to anyone.
"People who attend the march find it incredibly empowering, and it is a perfect venue for their voices to be heard since it goes through the central part of campus," Hoyt said. "You can chant and carry signs or you can walk silently, so it is perfect for everybody's needs."
The march has been going on for about 20 years, Laura Hacquard, Women's Center Coordinator said.
In 2001, the march was scheduled for Sept. 11, but was rescheduled to the spring of 2002 after the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, Hacquard said. This year, however, the march was scheduled in the fall to coincide with Rape Awareness month.
"The fall is a particularly dangerous time, especially for students," Reinders said. "Our goal is to raise as much awareness as possible at the beginning of the school year."