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Taking Back the Night

By Caroline Ryan
Assistant News Editor

The office of Campus Life will host LIU Post’s Take Back the Night event on March 31 in the Hillwood Commons Lecture Hall at 7 p.m.

“Take Back the Night is an event that brings awareness to the campus community regarding sexual assault and domestic violence,” said Cheyenne Oberther, programming specialist for Campus Life. The event will raise awareness and unite our community against sexual assault and domestic violence. Post is still requiring students to complete the mandatory Haven Course on Sexual Assault, this event however, is a separate event to raise awareness.

On a website entitled The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN), “Women ages 18-24 who are enrolled in college are three times more likely than women in general to suffer from sexual violence.” With numbers this high, many universities like Post are holding events like this to speak out against sexual assault.

The Take Back the Night Committee, composed of students, will be hosting awareness programs during common hour every Tuesday leading up to the event. These will include a self-defense course, campaign awareness, and a visual display. They are going to help to engage students and the campus community and promote participation in the March 31 event.

Theresa Kelley, a freshman music education major, said, “When I found out this event would be taking place at Post, I immediately wanted to have a part in the planning process. College campuses get an awful reputation for being unsafe. Hosting events like Take Back the Night increase awareness for this massive national problem, as well as help increase understanding and support in our own community for survivors and advocates alike. It shows that we will not stand for this on our campus. I’m very excited to for this event and even more excited to see in grow in years to come.”

The event will include a display in which student organizations will have the opportunity to cosponsor and have their names displayed on t-shirts. Students will also have the opportunity to create slogans to display in Hillwood Commons in an effort to publically show their stance against violence. There will also be a keynote speaker, who has yet to be decided, and a march following the main portion of the event. Students are encouraged to participate in designing their own banner and follow along with chants, which will be an opportunity for students to speak out and be heard.

“Sexual assault and domestic violence are important topics and we are happy to have a student-led committee that is leading this initiative,” said Michael Berthel, director of Campus Life.

“Campus Life is looking forward to the event and I am confident that it will become a long-standing, and successful program. Oberther has worked hard to engage students and student organizations to get involved,” said Berthel.

Students who want to get involved in the planning, or attend the event, can contact Campus Life’s Cheyenne Oberther at Cheyenne.Oberther@ liu.edu or at 516-299-3594.

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