Take Back the Night

Katie D.

April 30, 2010 - 7:52 PM

"It takes two to speak the truth: one to speak and another to hear." 

                                                                --Henry David Thoreau              

This is the first line of a fabulous article from the Daily Emerald, written by my dear friend and pastor, Warren Light of the Wesley Center. His next sentence is "Where will you be tonight?"

This was Sexual Assault Awareness Week across the country. Sexual assault is a part of the lives of far too many women in our country and across the world, including on the UO campus. This is something for us all to be aware of, and to work against in our communities.

What Warren was really asking in that line, is whether we are a community here at the University of Oregon: whether we would stand together with those who have experienced violence and prove we were allies. If a person who has experienced trauma is able to speak about it (which many, many are not), are the rest of us willing to hear? Do we stand as allies?

Last night I attended a portion of the Take Back the Night events, held in the EMU amphitheater. The crowd was huge, and the feeling of compassion and community in that place was truly inspiring. I felt buoyed up by our collective willingness to speak and to listen, to be together in strength and support. Take Back the Night is about regaining the confidence and security to feel safe in our communities and in our streets. It is about hearing testimony from individuals who have experienced harm, and is about marching through the streets at night as a physical reminder that our city belongs to all of us, and no one should feel otherwise, regardless of gender or past experiences.

There was true community at the UO and in the community last night.

Warren writes, "It is a brief journey of tremendous audacity, whenever we pass from isolation to community." He then asks "Where will you be tonight?"

There are so many incredible events put on by people of amazing strength and dedication at the UO. There are so many moments when it is of incredible importance to be present for the friends and peers who experience all kinds of pain and victimization, from racism to sexual violence. Last night I felt present with all of them, present as an ally and advocate, and as someone willing to listen. If it takes an enormous effort to share a past pain, it takes a certain strength to hear it as well. I hope that my presence, as one listening person in a crowd, made a difference last night.

There are several wonderful organizations on campus who deal with issues of assault and gender inequalities. These include SWAT (Sexual Wellness Advocacy Team), SASS (Sexual Assault Support Services) and The Woman's Center. They also include some simple and innovative approaches to safety for individuals on campus, such as APS, the Assault Prevention Shuttle, which provides free rides for UO-affiliated individuals, so that they can count on a safe ride home at night. These organizations provide vital services to men and women on this campus, and through their events, awareness-raising, direct action, and presence, they make the campus and community safer for everyone.

A friend of mine spoke at Take Back the Night this year. She showed incredible courage to share her past trauma with the listening community. I truly hope that the opportunity to speak out about the pain in her past (which, of course, is also part of her present) will lead to further healing for her. I also was made aware that violence has touched so many more lives than I imagine, including many of those I hold dear. I am proud to be a part of the community of individuals who stand against violence.

I hope that you, as a friend and ally of individuals living with trauma, will always be present for those who need it. I hope that you will be part of the community of listeners and supporters. I hope we all will be.

Warren concludes, "Where will you be tonight? Shatter the silence. Take back the night."