Event to raise sexual assualt awareness

Communities around the nation put on an event called “Take Back the Night” and the UW-River Falls community is no exception.

The event is usually held early in April as part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

“It also provides a safe place for people who have been sexually assaulted to share their stories,” Laura Adrian, diversity and women’s initiative committee co-director said in an e-mail. 

The campus event will include live music, free food and the annual Clothesline Project.

“The Clothesline Project is an opportunity for women who have experienced violence in their lives to portray their experiences in their own unique way,” Adrian said. “These t-shirts will be hung in a clothesline fashion around campus to help raise awareness ...”

There will be four different speakers at the event including one from Turning Point and one from SART about the medical and emotional sides to sexual assault. The other two speakers will be students speaking about the issues that are pertinent to college students.

The event begins Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Pete’s Creek in the University Center.

When the speakers portion of the evening is concluded, there will be a candlelight vigil.

“Students who have been impacted by sexual assault will have an opportunity to share their experiences or experiences of others,” Adrian said.

The Diversity and Women’s Initiatives Committee from Student Senate worked to plan this event. The committee is made up of four members and meets weekly.

And those who planned the event did a lot of working getting donations, planning musicians and promoting the event.

Adrian said the event is put on with informing students as their number one priority.

“Students do not realize the frequency and severity of sexual assault and I want students to know that it is important for students who have not been impacted by sexual assault to show their support in ending sexual violence,” Adrian said. “The more support we get, the better chance we have of solving the issue.”