Student group Intersectional Suffragists, will be hosting Take Back the Night Candlelight Vigil tonight.
The vigil will honor victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in Wyoming.
“A 2010 summary report done by the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey found roughly 22.2 percent of Wyomingites are survivors of rape,” Sydney Stein, a student in Intersectional Suffragists, said. “The number goes up when you talk about minorities, when you talk about the LGBT+ community, when you talk about the trans community. This is unacceptable.”
The number of survivors of sexual assault at UW are also high.
“If you apply Rape Abuse and Incest National Network statistics to the UW community, roughly 1,680 women and 350 men are survivors of sexual assault,” Stein said.
Stein puts the statistics in perspective by relating it to class.
“That means if you look in front, behind and to the left and right of you in class, one of the people you glanced at is likely to be a victim of sexual assault,” Stein said.
Part of the night will be dedicated to Whitney French and she will be honored during the vigil. French was a victim of domestic violence and a family member of one of the organizers of the candlelight vigil.
The concept behind Take Back the Night is to ensure that college campuses can reclaim the night as a safe space for women and other minorities who face assault.
“It has become a safe, holding space for all communities, free from fear of sexual assault and domestic violence,” according to a press release for the event.
Stein said she sees the events as a way to bring attention to the problem and encourage communication.
“The candlelight vigil is an attempt to bring attention to these issues so we can talk about solutions and work toward making the world free of sexual and domestic violence,” Stein said.
Aside from the candlelight vigil, there will also be speakers talking about the causes, effects and reach of domestic violence and sexual assault.
Take Back the Night’s website also explains that over 600 campuses and communities have held these events since the 1970s.
April has been designated by UW as Sexual Assault Awareness Month. In the past, students have held a Take Back the Night march, but this year it was decided a candlelight vigil would show solidarity.
In the future, Stein sees the issues of domestic violence and sexual assault being a cause for discussion.
“[Future] discussion about these issues? That would be helpful,” Stein said. “[Future] solutions and action toward making the world free of these issues? That would be the best.”
The students in Intersectional Suffragists are enrolled in Dr. Colleen Denney’s Visual Culture of Gendered Activism course. The class’s main focus is learning the history of female activism, particularly how visuals have impacted social change, according to the press release.
Take Back the Night will begin at 7:30 p.m. on Prexy’s Pasture. All UW and community members are invited to participate in the vigil. Students are encouraged to use their phones or glow sticks. Intersectional Suffragists will also provide fake candles.
“Information will be provided at the event to help students frame the research we have done,” Stein said. “There will be advocates at the event for anyone who needs support.
