'Women unite, take back the night"
By Samantha Pirc, Campus Life writer
May 6, 2007 | 2:10 p.m.
Take Back the Night Week (TBNW) culminated Thursday with a rally meant to empower women, followed by a protest march around campus against sexual assault.
TBNW, sponsored by the Student Senate Women’s Affairs commission, began on May 1. The week featured a self-defense workshop, discussions on a variety of feminist topics and a survivor name burning ceremony where victims of sexual assault could burn the names of their attackers. Also featured was a screening of a documentary produced by Ohio University student Cat Cutcher titled "The Third Wave: The March for Women's Lives." However, the main event of TBNW was, and always has been, the march.
This year, more than 100 women and men of all ages gathered at the West Portico of Memorial Auditorium at 7 p.m. to celebrate survival and get ready for the march around campus.
Student Senate Women’s Affairs Commissioner Lee Robbins and Graduate Student Senate Women’s Affairs Commissioner Brittany Buxton were the main organizers of the event, although Buxton gave most of the credit in planning to Robbins.
“Some people still don’t know what Take Back the Night is,” Buxton said. “It gives women a chance to come together, women who wouldn’t otherwise interact.”
The theme for this year’s TBNW was “Know means Know,” and Buxton explained that they chose this theme to emphasize the need for education about sexual assault.
Carrie Thomas, an OU senior and member of the Sexual Assault Prevention Program, said that she was surprised at how many people turned out for the event.
“Even if you don’t want to stand up and share your story, your presence here means something to someone,” Thomas said.
The large crowd present for the rally sat on the grass and listened to musical performances by Title IX and the Calliope Feminist Choir. Short presentations were also given by Ally Nordum, Dean of the Honors Tutorial College; Ann Fidler, Amnesty International; and Jan Griesinger.
“Ignorance is at the root of the violence,” Fidler said. “We need to remind ourselves and the community that women should be able to go anywhere without the fear of violence.”
Fidler also encouraged the group to be ready to reach out to the new group of women that will be entering the university next fall, to be ready to be examples to them.
Griesinger, a member of Calliopse and a prominent feminist activist in the community, was part of the group that started the first Take Back the Night in Athens in the late 1970s. After stating this, Griesinger went on to say that a big question that needs to be answered is why after thirty years there still even needs to be a march.
“We are loud, we are rowdy and we are determined,” Griesinger said of the women in the march, “and we are sick and tired of male violence against women.”
The topic of men and TBNW has been a touchy one for years.
“Men are our allies,” Griesinger explained, “but we want men to do their work with other men.”
While men are allowed to come to the rally, they are not allowed to march with the women. They are encouraged to show their support by standing on the sidelines and cheering on the women, which a group of about 10 men did by holding signs that said “Fuck Patriarchy” and “We hear you.”
Elahu Gosney, an OU doctoral student and candidate for Athens City Council, said he came to the march for the third year to show his support to powerful women–such as his mom and fiancee.
Sophomore Tod Grusenmeyer said that he came to the rally as part of his fraternity, which required half of its members to attend one of the events during the week together.
After the rally the women lined up with candles for a silent march down Jeff Hill. Upon reaching the bottom, the crowd erupted into chants and screams and continued through East Green, past Ping and the Convo and down Court Street led by an Athens’ Police car. The march ended where it began at the West Portico.
Robbins was notified days before the event that an additional $315 was needed to cover the police cost. A violation of the parade permit last year prompted the Athens’ Police Department to supply the event with extra forces. At the time of the event Robbins was not sure whether the additional funds from Student Senate were going to be needed or if OUPD would be stepping in.
Overall the event was a great success, and both Buxton and Robbins were very pleased with the turnout.
Freshman Alisha Bicknell said that during her first march it was very inspirational to see everyone marching together.
It was senior Alex Jabs’ second time marching, and she said that the march is important for women because it gives them a chance to raise their voices and raise the awareness for women who don’t know. Her reasons for marching were personal because of the sexual assault of a friend and, because she is a lesbian, she marches to reclaim her role as a woman and give voice to a sometimes unrepresented group.
Jabs said that the march was wonderful, “especially seeing the guys on the corner showing their support.”