As part of Sexual Assault
Awareness Month,
the Haven Project, the Alice Paul House, and the IUP and Indiana
Community agencies took part in Take Back the Night,
a march through the IUP campus and the Indiana community to show support for
victims and survivors of violence.
Hundreds of students, faculty,
staff, and community members marched through campus on Wednesday, April 16,
2014 carrying anti-violence signs and chanting anti-violence and empowering
messages, such as “We have the power, we have the right. The streets are ours,
take back the night.”
The annual march is held in an effort to
end violence and send the message that victims and survivors will no longer
remain fearful and secluded in their homes. This worldwide initiative has a
long and proud history of supporting survivors while trying to prevent
violence. Both men and women participate in Take Back the Night marches in
their communities.
The CARE Center of Indiana County and the Alice
Paul House hosted a Balloon Launch at 7:45 p.m. in honor of National
Child Abuse Prevention Month.
The agencies received a grant from Kiwanis Club to support their prevention month activities.
The Indiana County District Attorney’s Office
arranged for representatives from U.S. Attorney David Hickton of the Western
District of Pennsylvania to address the crowd at the beginning of the march. This
is the second year they have joined our campus for the march in a show of
support for victims of violence.
IUP President Michael Driscoll and
Haven Project Peer Educator Ciara Marble kicked off the Take Back the
Night march at 8:00 p.m., chanting “1-2-3-4, this is what we are fighting for.
5-6-7-8, no more violence, no more rape.”
IUP’s Take Back the Night March was followed by a powerful Survivor Speak-Out,
which offered survivors of violence an opportunity to give voice to their
experiences. Individuals shared their stories and provided support to others,
while publicly affirming their transition from victim to survivor. It was a powerful
and empowering event for both survivors and supporters. IUP alumna Tiffany
Hall-Campbell addressed the Speak-Out participants as the Take Back the Night
keynote speaker, leaving the crowd feeling empowered to take a stand against
violence.
Take Back the Night is sponsored by
the Haven Project at the Center for Health and Well-Being.
Co-sponsors include: Alice Paul
House, Indiana County District Attorney’s Office, President’s
Commission on the Status of Women, Women’s Programs, African American
Cultural Center, RHA, BACCHUS, Safe Zone, Aramark, Center for Student Life,
LGBT Commission, Graduate Student Assembly, Office of Social Equity, Eberly
College of Business and Information Technology, SAGE (Students Advocating
Gender Equality), Her Campus IUP, College of Fine Arts, College of Health and
Human Services, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Office of
International Education, Phi Mu Delta, Men’s Awareness Program, College of
Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Cook Honors College, Office of Housing,
Residence Life, and Dining, and Fasttimes Screenprinting.
The Haven Project is a program that provides counseling and advocacy services for IUP students who experience
violence. The Haven Project also provides education about stalking,
dating/relationship violence, and sexual assault. Visit the Haven Project for more information.
Questions about the Take Back the Night Events
may be addressed to (724)-357-4799 or haven-project@iup.edu.