Rape and sexual assault are forms of sexual violence that unfortunately occur on college campuses nation-wide — including our own. According to a 1994 study, one-in-four women will either be raped or be the victim of an attempted rape by the time she graduates from college.

In terms of our campus, there are approximately 10,500 undergraduate women enrolled, meaning that just over 2,600 women on our campus will be subject to some sort of sexual violence before they graduate.

Even more alarming is a 2000 study which found roughly 350 out of every 10,000 female students will be raped on college campuses every academic year.

Are these facts from the Women’s Center getting your attention?

This evening the Women’s Center, alongside 62 other sponsoring organizations, is conducting the 20th annual Take Back the Night event to raise awareness of sexual violence on our campus. This year, event organizers are expecting more than 500 participants to come out and stand in unity against sexual violence.

The purpose of Take Back the Night is to show a sign of support and harmony for those who have survived rape and sexual assault on campus and in the community. It’s a sign to the campus and the community that sexual violence will not be tolerated at our University.

Men and women of the campus community should show their support against sexual violence by taking part in Take Back the Night. There are people on this campus who are victims of sexual assault. By taking part in the event you are telling those individuals they are not alone and there are people who support them.

Not only is this a time for you to show support for victims of sexual violence, but it gives participants an opportunity to hear the stories of victims first-hand, and hear what they have endured through their experience.

In its two decade anniversary, it was the right move to plan Take Back the Night during Homecoming but the problem of sexual violence still remains. It’s time the campus and community further take a stand against this horrific crime. It’s our time to Take Back the Night and say “NO” to sexual violence.