In a time when many cases of rape and domestic violence go unreported, 250 University students and community members gathered Sunday at Memorial Tower to break the silence.
Women shared their testimonies at Take Back the Night, an event held to honor victims and survivors of domestic violence in the Baton Rouge area.
As local band Storywood cranked out tunes, Planned Parenthood and the Capital Area Family Violence Intervention Center tables lined up at the foot of the tower, offering information to participants.
“If there is one thing that I would tell you tonight, you have everything you need to make a difference,” said East Baton Rouge Parish Mayor-President Kip Holden.
He encouraged the crowd to “use your eyes” to prevent domestic violence by recognizing that someone they know may be involved in an abusive relationship.
Women wrote down their experiences, some of which they had never shared with anyone before, on T-shirts as part of the Clothesline Project.
The colorful shirts waved in the wind as they hung on a clothesline at the base of the tower, bearing phrases like “Be Free” and “No More out.”
The mood grew solemn as several women stood before the crowd to tell their stories of overcoming physical and emotional hurt with strength and courage.
“I said ‘no,’ and I spoke out,” said one woman who was raped by her roommate. “And it will stop in Baton Rouge if we all raise our voice and say it’s not