Survivors of sexual assault are not only taking back the night, but their voice during Ohio University’s annual Name Burning.
Writing the name of their assailant and later burning it, the process for the event, is a form of release for survivors, said Emma Wright, the women’s affairs commissioner for OU Student Senate.
“I went last year and it was a really wonderful experience just to see the number of people who were able to come and stand in front of a group of strangers and feel comfortable talking about what they went through,” said Audrey Imes, president of Voices for Planned Parenthood at OU. “There’s something very empowering about burning that name. It’s about burning away the control that that person has over you … It was a really powerful experience. I got very emotional.”
About 10-15 people usually attend the event Wright said.
“From what I have heard it’s an incredibly emotional experience,” said Susanne Dietzel, director for the Women’s Center. “It’s in a way a sense of closure, but I think it’s also a moment when you’re making yourself vulnerable again.”
IYG:
What: Name Burning
When: 8 p.m., Tuesday
Where: McCracken Fields
Admission: Free
je726810@ohiou.edu
