By: Alvin Wilson 
Staff Writer

Tuesday, Oct. 27, Abby’s House presented this year’s Take Back the Night event.

The event is held every October in honor of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

It is a one-and-a-half hour event that takes place during the evening hours in order to raise awareness about domestic violence.

“Our student advocates have been working very hard to raise awareness about domestic violence, especially in the last few days,” said Mary Ellen Dello Stritto, Abby’s House director, during an opening statement. “We’re trying to address ways to support survivors of violence in general.”

Take Back the Night events started in 1975 to help empower women who had historically been told to stay indoors during outbreaks of violence.

After Stritto’s opening statement, Abby’s House student coordinators gave some history behind Take Back the Night.

“Take Back the Night has its origins in the fears and anxiety that women have historically faced while walking home alone at night,” Hannah Towle, Abby’s House Sexual Violence Resource Coordinator, said.

Abby’s House external program development coordinator, Jessica Fontaine, said, “Over the last 30 years, Take Back the Night has focused on eliminating all forms of violence. Thousands of colleges and universities, women’s centers and rape crisis centers have sponsored events across our country — and the world.”

After the opening statements, there was a moment of reflection. The room went silent as a gong was sounded every nine seconds to symbolize how often a woman is beaten in the United States.

During the reflection period, attendees could read encouraging words that were written on paper hearts across the room. The hashtag #selfiesforsurvivors was printed below a personal message on each heart.

After the moment of reflection, the keynote speaker, Jackie Sandmeyer, was introduced.
Sandmeyer is a training specialist for the Oregon Attorney General’s Sexual Assault Task Force.

“I want you all to keep something in mind,” Sandmeyer said. “Tonight we’re not just here to take back historically unsafe spaces, such as the night. I want you all to know that we’re also here to empower those around us who have experienced violence.”
Sandmeyer’s speech focused on educating the audience about domestic violence stereotypes, and empowering the audience to make a difference.

“You don’t have to experience violence to get loud,” she said. “Tonight is about breaking the silence that a lot of survivors in our own community bear the weight of every single day.”

During her speech, Sandmeyer provided statistics about domestic violence.

One in five women are victims of domestic violence, she said, and men aren’t far behind with one in seven being the victim of domestic violence.

Disabled, gender non-conforming, and minority peoples have an even higher risk of experiencing domestic violence.

These statistics, Sandmeyer said, are the reason to continue having events like Take Back the Night.

“It’s about making that which we overlook every single day, and which we stay silent about constantly, echo through our streets,” she said. “That’s why we do chants during our march. The idea is that we want to pass strangers and friends alike and know that we’re safe. Just for this one night.”

Sandmeyer has traveled across the country trying to find ways to stop violence in all forms.

“If I’ve learned anything,” she said, “it’s that the product of violence is fear, and the product of fear has been silence. When we come together to stand with those who wish to speak, and when we protect the silence to be broken by those who own it, fear becomes a lot less relevant.”

After the speech, attendees marched down the campus streets holding candles and signs with such phrases as: “our life, our night, our right,” “my dress does not mean yes,” and, “consent is sexy!”

Sandmeyer left the attendees with some closing words.

“Tonight, I’ll say that we’re all more than the statistics people apply to us. We’re a lot more than the one in five. And tonight, I want to challenge us all to remember that, for this one night, we’re more than victims as well. Because tonight, each and every one of us are survivors.”