Take Back the Night rally stresses men's involvement

The rally was hosted by Stronger Together Against Relationship and Sexual Violence.

By Trevor Eischen

Published Sept. 26, 2008

As a part of Rape Awareness Week, guest speakers addressed the need for men to take responsibility and help women fight violence and abuse at Thursday's Take Back the Night march and rally.

The speakers, members of Men Stopping Violence, talked to participants about relationship violence at the annual event, which was hosted by Stronger Together Against Relationship and Sexual Violence.

After the rally at Stotler Lounge, participants marched through campus to demonstrate the importance of preventing sexual violence.

Sharon Giles, coordinator of the Relationship and Sexual Violence Prevention Center, opened the meeting.

"I want to make sure we establish that this is a safe place," Giles said.

Four counselors, each marked with yellow armbands, stationed themselves throughout the hall to help participants cope with emotional distress.

Men Stopping Violence is an organization educating and advocating change among men and their treatment of women. Instructor/Trainer John Tramel and Men's Intervention Program Coordinator Sulaiman Nuriddin opened the presentation with a slide show of images from advertisements and magazines they said were sexually provocative and demeaned both women and men.

"One thing that comes up a lot is sexual assault and violence," Nuriddin said of campuses. "This evening is an opportunity to talk about it and go deep with it."

Both Nuriddin and Tramel said campuses across the nation face problems with sexual assault and violence towards women. Some of these institutions, however, refuse to admit the problems because they are more worried about keeping sound reputations.

Tramel explained that the images he showed in the slide show confuse people and contort views of how women should be treated.

Both men showed the audience a definition of male sexual violence: "Male expectation of sexual acts combined with tactics to compel submission." The slide show included lists of sexual expectations men can have and the tactics some use to dehumanize women.

"We're not trying to create shame or guilt," Tramel said. "We're here tonight to say it doesn't have to be."

Nuriddin said he was amazed at the attendance of men. At one point, he had all the men stand up and look at each other. He said that it is not only important for women to rally for the cause, but also for men to assist them and accept the fact that there is a problem.

"As men, we need to be on the front lines," Nuriddin said.

Tramel and Nuriddin men expressed the importance of sexuality being associated with intimacy, not another notch on the bedpost.

After the discussion, both men electrified the room and prepared participants to march in the street. The march started at Memorial Union and headed toward Rollins Road, down to Conley Avenue and through campus to University Avenue, where the march finished back at Memorial Union.

Two police cars patrolled the front and back of the convoy, and three officers marched with the others.

When asked why he had become an advocate of stopping the violence and abuse women receive, Nuriddin had a straightforward response.

"Five daughters," he said. "Five daughters in my life. Think about it this evening. Think about them."