Rape Awareness Year

The fight against •violence

Rape Awareness Year celeorates with annual march

W

ith all the candles lit, the group started its march around campus to the Monroe County Courthouse. Escorted by two IU Police Department cars, the marchers occupied one lane of the street and spanned about a city block. "Let me hear you get pissed off," yelled graduate student Erica Neuman, the march's co-organizer, through a megaphone. The crowd screamed in response.

The annual Take Back the Night vigil gathered students, faculty and Bloomington residents in a fight not only against rape, but also all violence against women. Participants roared chants protesting violence. "Women Unite, Take Back the Night." "What do we want?" "Safe Streets!" "When do we want them?" "Now!"

Later, during a speakout, attitudes drastically shifted. Instead of yelling, many protesters fought back tears as they listened to people tell their personal experiences about violence at the open microphone.

One woman shared that her high school boyfriend dragged her into the bathroom when she was 15 years old and forced her to have oral sex with him. Another male participant told the crowd that he was molested by his priest when he was 11.

The march began in Dunn Meadow as participants made signs, chatted with friends and listened to music.

Messages ranged from the fairly neutral, "Women Stand Strong Against Violence," to the more fiery, "Cut it Out, or We'll Cut it Off."

Middle Way House, Inc. Executive Director Toby Strout and Crisis Intervention Services Coordinator Darrell Ann Stone kicked off the march with speeches.

Stone told crowd she represented the heart, soul and tears of all the violence survivors she came in contact with in her six years at Middle Way. "It is with these people that we handed together tOr communication. No matter what, we are in this together," she said.

Strout reminded the crowd that when people talked about violence against women, they must also talk about the inequality between men and women. "We wanted to think about more than violence against women," she said. "We needed to think about the context in which it occurs."

IU Student Association President Bob Moats said the crowd's attitude was angry because violence against women was a topic people got justifiably emotionally about. "People need to feel strongly about this issue; it's a very emotional topic," he said.

by den Stevens

When the marchers reached Indiana Avenue, they raised their candles high in a moment of silence to commemorate the survivors of violence.

Each participant had the opportunity to share personal experiences and observations with the crowd. Most people used the time to speak openly and honestly about how rape and other violent crimes affected them, concentrating on the fact they were survivors of the experience.

During her time at the microphone, senior Heather Luttrell warned the crowd not to tolerate people who think violence is the victim's fault. "I have heard in my classes people saying 'women should know better.' Anyone who said that needs to be talked to," she said.

When it was his turn at the microphone, Matt Dominich, a Bloomington resident, said he witnessed violence at greek houses and in the residence halls. "The problem was boundless," he said.

But the most important thing freshman Sarah Hyatt took with her was knowing just talking about violence is allowable. "It's okay to tell people that something bad happened," Hyatt said.

Freshman Marie Luken said the speakout affected her the most. She said through the speeches of other participants, she came to realize the lack of others' awareness. "It was scary to see how many people have no idea what rape means," Luken said. "How little people know about it."

But most of all, graduate student Julie Thomas, the march co-organizer, said she hoped people left with a greater awareness of the problem.

Thomas said the march cultivated an atmosphere of solidarity and understanding. "At times I go from depression to anger, knowing that I have to make a difference," she said. "A night like this can bring you down, but we have to remember that we are here for each other." n

Freshman A. Valentine Sandoval (right) embraces freshman Megan Keane during the rape awareness candlelight march. The Take Back the Night march, held Sept. 29, showed solidarity for survivors of rape and assault. Afterward, a speakout allowed victims to share their stories on personal violence. Photo by Matt McClain.