Marchers take Franklin St., night

The patrons and inhabitants of Franklin Street came out of restaurants, peeked out of windows of sorority and fraternity houses and stopped on the street to see what all the ruckus was about Tuesday night.

To raise awareness and put an end to sexual assault, participants in the Take Back the Night march filed down the street, holding candles, chanting slogans and blowing whistles to attract locals’ attention.

In a town accustomed to protests, students still stopped to listen to keynote speaker Lori Robinson tell her story.

Robinson, the author of the book “I Will Survive: The African-American Guide to Healing from Sexual Assault and Abuse,” was raped in 1995.

She tours the country, educating others and fighting the stereotypes and misconceptions that she says stigmatize sexual assault. Tuesday marked her second visit to UNC.

“I want to say to the victims that deep healing is possible,” she said.

“You have nothing to be ashamed of or embarrassed about. You did nothing wrong.”

The candle-lit march proceeded up Raleigh Street, along Franklin Street, down North Columbia Street and through the quad, ending back at the Pit where luminaries were waiting to be lit.

Emily Snider, co-chairwoman of Advocates for Sexual Assault Prevention, said women are at greater risk for rape during their first few months of college because they are trying to meet people and aren’t as guarded.

Reporting rapes on campus can be particularly difficult for someone raped by an acquaintance, she said.

A significant number of rapes are not reported to campus police each year.

“The situation makes it so difficult because you have to see the person every day,” she said.

Krista Park, community response coordinator for the Orange County Rape Crisis Center, said it was encouraging that a number of men attended the rally.

About a third of the almost 50 participants were men.

Robinson encouraged the men at the rally to help make the world a safer place for the women in their lives — their mothers, sisters, aunts and girlfriends.

Park added that events like Take Back the Night raise awareness in the community by bringing up issues of safety for everyone.

“Sexual assault doesn’t discriminate,” she said.

Lauren Hunt, director of communication for the Institute for Science Learning said, “How enthusiastic it makes me to see all the men who came out and all the people of color.”

Hunt said walking in dark spaces, past bars and fraternity houses along the march route, and calling out to people was empowering.

“It felt very powerful to be heard and not be silent,” she said.

The event was part of Women’s Week and was sponsored by Advocates for Sexual Assault Prevention in conjunction with the Center for Healthy Student Behaviors, the Office of the Dean of Students, the Orange County Rape Crisis Center and the White Ribbon Campaign.

The Take Back the Night campaign started in the United Kingdom in 1978 and came to UNC six years ago.

For more information and resources contact the Orange County Rape Crisis Center at 1-866-WE LISTEN.

 

Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.