To commemorate Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (SMWC) will host its first Take Back The Night Walk on April 24th, starting at 8 p.m. The walk will be open to SMWC students and students from Indiana State University, Ivy Tech Community College, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and any community members who want to attend. Walkers will gather in the front of Le Fer Hall on the SMWC campus and begin with opening remarks before the start of the walk. The event is sponsored by the SMWC Student Counseling & Wellness Center through its Be Safe. Be Brave initiative.
Take Back The Night is the oldest worldwide movement to stand against sexual violence in all forms. These events bring together communities to help bring awareness to the problem of sexual violence in all forms, as well as providing support to survivors to help them continue their healing process.
SMWC Campus Counselor Melissa Grinslade, MSW, LCSW, said about the event, “As SMWC embraces its evolving demographic landscape, hosting Take Back The Night is a proactive step toward building a supportive and informed campus community. These events not only support survivors but also educate and engage the entire campus in the vital work of preventing sexual violence and fostering a culture of respect and empathy.”
According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, one in five women and one in 16 men are sexually assaulted while in college, and more than 90% of sexual assaults go unreported. Nearly two-thirds of college students experience sexual harassment.