Women and their allies have been marching in Take Back the Night events since the 1970s. As a director of the Women’s Studies later renamed Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies Program for eight years at the University of Kansas, I participated in many marches and events to lift up survivors of sexual violence, highlight the importance of consent and educate participants about the resources available to them on campus.
While all gender identities are subject to intimate partner violence, women have historically been the most victimized gender, a vulnerability that affects us throughout our lives. I have long been committed to activism and resistance, whether working as an advocate for and financially supporting women’s shelters, holding people accountable for sexual assault and harassment, or doing research on and advocating for domestic violence as a legitimate claim for asylum.
This April is my first Sexual Assault Awareness & Action Month at PSU and I’m heartened to know that, thanks to the leadership of the Women's Resource Center and their partners across campus, students and community members are still raising their voices to Take Back the Night as they have done on campus since 1999.
Sadly, RAINN, which runs a national sexual assault hotline, tells use that 13% of all U.S. university students experience rape or sexual assault through physical force, violence, or incapacitation. Knowing that one in every 10 students on average will experience this type of sexual violence is unacceptable.
Portland State has a robust system of services offered to students including the Sexual and Relationship Violence Response (SRVR) Program operated by the Women’s Resource Center, which I should note serves students of all genders. The program offers intervention support, information and referrals, helping students navigate services through the Center for Student Health and Counseling which provides confidential sexual assault nurse exams and counseling, in addition to services through Residence Life, Campus Public Safety, Student Legal Services and the Office of Student Affairs. Dozens of students access these services every month and they can be a lifeline for many.
The program emphasizes agency for survivors — who must have choice and voice in how they respond to sexual violence in their lives. To that end, the WRC is working this year with an annual theme of Nourishing Reciprocity: Building a Counterculture of Care and developing a Zine in partnership with the Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies department in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences to center the voices and experiences of survivors. The Zine Out! Speak Out! Zine will feature visual art and written pieces and will be published in May.
It’s so important for us as a campus community to support survivors and raise our collective voices to Take Back the Night. This year’s event will encourage the creation of art and the chance to speak out during an open mic event prior to a rally in the Park Blocks. Arrive by 6 p.m. in the Smith Ballroom on Thursday, April 25 (directly after the President’s Speaker Series event with Dr. Michael Sorrell!) to catch the whole program.
If you can’t attend but still want to take part in the cause, I encourage you to contribute to the Women’s Resource Center Survivor Hardship Fund which covers costs such as legal fees, mental health support and emergency housing — it’s a tangible way to impact the support resources available to student survivors at PSU.
I’m grateful for our strong community at PSU and the way we look out for each other.