Take Back the Night: A College Program

If you’ve never heard of Take Back the Night, chances are you will once you get on campus. The idea behind this program is to raise awareness about sexual assault on campuses and even before college (from family members, friends, and other people).

At my college, what we normally do is have a parade with thousands of participants. My school is in a big city and the policemen block off the roads for our late night stance against sexual violence. We walk for about .5 miles through extremely populated neighborhoods and chant phrases like “Students unite, take back the night,” and “Silence perpetuates violence.” By chanting these phrases through the streets, community members know that the students are all about focusing on a safe environment for them and for the neighbors.

After the march, which includes a moment of silence, our students congregate in a big auditorium where people share their gripping stories of abuse by the hands of their abusers. To protect the anonymity of these individuals, there is either a wall that blocks the microphone from the audience or the lights are off. This process goes on until dawn. Some of the scariest and most emotional stories are shared during this time. Students are here to support each other, and peer counselors are available to help the students during this difficult time.

How does your school — or does your school — handle TBTN? How do you raise the issues of abuse awareness within your college community?