In a week-long set of activities and events, survivors and supporters will be given a voice and a chance to speak out.
The Women’s Affairs Commission of Student Senate put together eight days of events to celebrate Take Back The Night Week. Starting on Saturday and continuing through next Saturday, people can experience events ranging from yoga to name burning to trivia and a march. Most of these events are centered around the topic of sexual assault and supporting survivors.
“Take Back The Night Week is really awesome and really powerful,” Alainna Marincic, a senior studying integrated media and the communications director for Feminist Equality Movement, said. “Not only is it huge on this campus, but it’s huge on campuses and cities around the country and the world.”
Cassidy Paul, a senior studying student development and multicultural diversities, is the commissioner for the Women’s Affairs Commission and one of the main organizers for Take Back The Night Week.
“It’s so important to use the most inclusive language (and) that we’re making people feel as safe as possible and (that) we’re able to empower people,” Paul said.
This year, organizers made a conscious effort to involve the Athens community and give more attention to LGBT people.
Yoga and the self-defense class will be held at Wolf Tree Collective so people feel safer and Athens residents won’t have to come to campus.
During Friday’s speakout, LGBT people can share their experiences with others. The theme of Take Back The Night ensures most people listen and not ask potentially triggering questions.
“While this assault happens to everyone, it happens to groups specifically for being queer or trans,” Paul said. “We’re making (the speak out) to where it’s not tokenizing people. We’re trying to just highlight people’s stories.”
At the name-burning ceremony, survivors are welcome to bring anyone who they might need for support. People can write the names of their assailants or others and throw them in the fire.
“It’s a way of taking ownership back of yourself,” Paul said. “By burning their name, you’re taking away their power.”
Paul said representatives from the Survivor Advocacy Outreach Program and the Survivor Advocacy Program will be present at most of the events if anyone needs more support than a peer can give.
Marincic said Wednesday’s trivia and workshop is FEM’s first time officially hosting an event for Take Back The Night. They want to educate people on body positivity and consent through their questions.
Jan Griesinger, an organizer of Athens' first Take Back The Night in 1979, will speak at this year’s rally about her experiences, Paul said. The organizers tried to reach out to more activists who live in Athens but who aren’t affiliated with the university.
For the rally and march, two golf carts were reserved so those with limited mobility can still participate.
“It’s really great to be a part of a movement with that much solidarity and recognition,” Marincic said.
