The LSU Student Health Center, LSU Women’s Center, LSU Campus Life and Sexual Trauma Awareness and Response Center, or STAR, collaborated with various campus and community organizations to host the 30th annual Take Back the Night candlelight vigil and march Sunday at the University Memorial Tower.
The event began lightheartedly with live music and time to enjoy refreshments and receive information from various tables about domestic and sexual violence prevention and assistance.
Shifting to a more serious note, speakers began sharing information about preventative measures and solutions to reduce the rate of domestic and sexual violence. Speakers included representatives from STAR, the Student Health Center, BRPD and the “We’re Committed” campaign, as well as East Baton Rouge Parish Mayor-President Kip Holden, Student Government president Zack Faircloth and Office of Diversity Vice Provost Dereck Rovaris
Victims who were comfortable sharing their stories were invited to speak, and several did. They made it a priority to emphasize that while preventing violence is important, the aftermath and healing process may be more crucial. Victims spoke about their personal experiences wherein their friends, peers and family members did not take their tragedies seriously. They also brought awareness to the fact that domestic and sexual violence is not just an issue among women — men can be victims, too.
Both the victims and guest speakers encouraged everyone in the crowd to become active bystanders and take the initiative to speak out if they witness violence.
Speakers went on to read a list of names of those who lost their lives to homicidal violence in Louisiana over the past year.
Shortly after, the candlelight vigil began, with each candle representing an aspect of violence that continues to be an issue today. The vigil was followed by a mile-long march around campus and the surrounding neighborhoods.
Ashton Vaughn, a computer science sophomore, attended the event after seeing a flier on Moodle.
“I wanted to show my support because it is a topic looked over a lot, and people don’t take it as seriously as it needs to be,” Vaughn said.
Child and family studies junior Kameryn Poullard attended the event because it raised awareness for an issue she holds dear to her heart. She is also an intern for STAR and volunteers for the Iris Domestic Violence Center.
“I’m a really strong advocate for women and children in crisis,” Poullard said.
Me’Elle Reed attended the event and said she has a friend who is a victim of sexual violence. She said coming to Take Back the Night informed her about how to support her friend in her time of need.
“It was very informative, especially if you don’t know anything about domestic violence and sexual abuse,” Reed said. “[It] gives you ways to help people if you know anybody that is going through it and to help advocate for it.”
Domestic and sexual violence continue to be major public health problems across the United States. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner on average in the United States. This is equivalent to more than 10 million men and women. One in five women and one in 71 men in the United States have been raped in their lifetime, and about 19.3 million women and 5.1 million men in the United States have been stalked in their lifetime.
In 2010, Louisiana ranked No. 4 in the nation for femicide, the homicide of women. It is projected that over 5,000 adult women per year living in Louisiana will experience domestic violence.
Violence on college campuses continues to be a rising concern. The NCADV reported that women between the ages of 18 and 24 are most commonly abused by an intimate partner.
These studies suggest there is a relationship between intimate partner violence and depression and suicidal behavior, according to NCADV.
Faircloth said while 90 percent of the University commumnity is aware of the “We’re Committed” campaign, it must continue to join the movement to fix the problem of domestic and sexual violence on campus.
For more information on the University’s “We’re Committed” campaign, visit LSU.edu/werecommitted. For more statistical information about domestic violence across the nation, visit ncadv.org.