Survivors of sexual and violent assault gathered along with
other students Thursday night to “break the silence” at
the fifth annual Take Back the Night held on the UCLA campus.
The event started with performances at 5:30 pm at Schoenberg
Quad and continued with a march through the campus to De Neve Plaza
where a candlelight vigil was held.
Take Back the Night is a national effort to raise awareness
about sexual and violent assaults and to create a safe environment
for both women and men. The event is also designed to provide
support for people affected by these crimes.
“This night is about empowerment and not being afraid to
talk about your experiences,” said Rebekah Skoor, one of the
event organizers and a fourth-year psychology and women studies
student.
Skoor said she thinks that sexual and gender-based violence
happens more often than people are aware of, and that this event
will help people reexamine the phenomena and be able to take a
stand against it.
The event was presented by the Clothesline Project as a part of
the Women for Change Week.
“It creates a sense of community for the survivors, so
they can feel supported and get a sense a self-empowerment,”
said Stephanie Tobi, a fourth-year American literature and culture
student and the co-chair of the Clothesline Project.
The organizers chose to communicate their messages through
various speakers such as poet, fiction writer and filmmaker
Ta’Shia Asanti. Asanti is also a survivor of domestic
violence and has been a part of Take Back the Night for the past
five years.
“Things like this allow people to begin a healing process,
free their hearts and spirits, and not be confined by the powers of
other people,” said Jessica Wally, a fourth-year psychology
student who participated in the event.
Another speaker was Tina Oakland, who has been a part of the
UCLA community for 29 years and is currently the director for the
Center for Women and Men. Oakland said this event was a celebration
of courage and a step toward breaking the cycle of violence.
Oakland also mentioned the lunar eclipse that took place during
the night and asked everyone to look at the darkness followed by
the return of light as a symbol of hope.
The overall massage communicated during the night through the
various methods of music, speeches and skits was that survivors are
not to blame and that it is important for women and men not to be
afraid of confronting sexual assault and violence by speaking about
it.
As a part of the on-going events, there will be a shirt-making
bee in the Schoenberg Quad held today from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
With reports from Melody Hanatani, Daily Bruin contributor.