This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at NCSU chapter.
Take Back the Night is an event put on by the NCSU Women’s Center to “promote sexual assault and domestic violence awareness, prevention, and safety on our campus and in the community.” This Wednesday, March 30th, come and support survivors – take a stand against rape and violence against women. We all know sexual violence happens, but do you really know how often it happens?
Sexual Violence & It’s Scary Statistics:
1. Rape is the most common violent crime on American College campuses today
2. Approximately 350 of every 10,000 (3.5%) female students on a college
campus will be raped each academic year. This extrapolates to a possible 509
rapes or attempted rapes at NCSU each academic year.
3. One in every four women will be a survivor of Rape or attempted rape by the
time they graduate from college.
4. In one study, 1 in 12 college-aged men admitted to acts that met the legal
definitions of rape.
5. 35% of college men indicated some likelihood that they would force a
woman to engage in sexual activity if they could be assured of not getting
caught.
6. 90-95% of rapes on campus are committed by someone the victim knows.
Do you realize how many things a woman does everyday to avoid becoming a rape victim? For example, she anxiously walks to her car at night while looking and listening for any sign of someone dangerous. She checks underneath and all around her car for a possible predator. She never puts her drink down or accepts drinks from strangers incase someone is trying to drug her. She enrolls in self-
defense classes, get’s a guard dog, carries pepper spray or a whistle, and she never walks alone.
Now, let’s make a list of all the things men do to avoid sexual violence. I can’t think of anything. Can you? Rape and sexual assault are always on a woman’s mind. How many times a day would you say you worry about being raped? I bet most days it’s more than once. When I asked this question to my boyfriend he replied, “I’ve never thought about it.” His fear is more about being mugged than being sexually assaulted. A woman should be able to walk confidently at night or relax at a club with her friends without anxiety and fear always resting on her shoulders. We all need to participate in Take Back the Night.
Show your support for all the survivors and brave woman who were raped or sexually assaulted. It’s a night where we can all take a stand, be brave and take back the night. There will be several speakers, t-shirts for sale, free food, and a candlelight vigil to end the evening.
The Details:
Theme: “Wolfpack Unite, Take Back the Night.”
Date: Wednesday March 30th.
Time: Marches @ 5:45, Rally @ 6:30.
Where: Talley Plaza behind Talley Student Center.
Note: 95% of perpetrators are men. But, men do also get raped. 1-5 men will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime. Let’s support both women & men survivors.
