“However we dress, wherever we go, yes means yes and no means no.” This is one of the many chants yelled by students marching against sexual violence on April 22 at LAC.
The event “Take Back The Night March” was hosted by the Sexual Assault Awareness Month student committee.
It began with opening remarks from Andrea Rodriguez, a student on the committee and a survivor, with her giving some time before the march to create posters.
About 10 people participated in the event including students who were on the committee and the march began at the E quad at noon and went through the main center of LAC until 1 p.m.
Sexual awareness month goes through all of April and all month the student committee and student health services will bring awareness to sexual violence, prevention, and abuse.
According to one of the informational flyers being given out, approximately 1 in 5 women have been victims of sexual assault in college as well as 1 in 16 men.
They gave out wristbands, flashlights, flyers with information about sexual assault, and informational cards giving information on what consent means.
Sylvia Garcia, the advisor for the SAAM committee, gave insight into why she feels these events are important.
“A lot of our survivors, the events happen in their own personal lives, in their own communities, it happens everywhere, it just comes to light being in sexual assault awareness month people become aware … as we do these events people kind of open up about their experiences … it’s an impactful thing that happens to them, it takes a long time to heal, and some people don’t deal with it, so with events like this it kind of helps them move toward talking to someone about it,” Garcia said.
Sexual violence is any type of unwanted sexual contact and any form of action that is unwanted can be uncomfortable and leave an impact that can last for years.
Andrea Rodriguez, who also had an uncomfortable encounter explains what happened to her.
“I was in the women’s locker room, on the other side of campus, just getting ready for my day, and then I was in the gym right by the pool area so there’s like an entrance right there and then like there was a guy that came in and he was like fully naked, like his penis was erected and it was so weird, personally for me it was shocking, like did this really happen,” Rodriguez said.
Shera Hawbaker, a student who heard of the event through the NordicSync event website for LBCC says she participates because, “I’ve known people who have suffered with sexual violence, both genders, so I like that this march is open to everyone and I just wanted to be a part of it, I think that it is important to get involved.”
Many people are victims of sexual violence and abuse, if you or anyone you know is in harm’s way, student health services can help, with offices located at both LAC and PCC.