Rally Takes Back the Night

Trembling candlelight filled the MAC Quad last night as more than 150 Harvard students rallied for Take Back the Night (TBTN), using an open microphone to share personal accounts of sexual abuse and stories of violence against women.

Squinting into the spotlight, women told stories of the violence to which they had been subjected and extended expressions of support to survivors of similar experiences.

One woman sang Tracy Chapman's song, "Behind the Wall," to underscore the rally's message against domestic violence. Another read poetry that she had written after being sexually molested.

A man faced the crowd covering the dusky Quadrangle and told a story of a friend who had been raped and related the shock and fear he felt when she told him.

Several speakers encouraged TBTN participants towards activism to help solve the problem of domestic violence, asking them to volunteer at shelters or courts, begging them to step in if they saw abuse occurring.

Most suggested that empowerment and awareness are the best ways to thwart violence against women. A few expressed their anger at the current situation facing women. One speaker drew scattered applause when he said that violence was not just a women's problem, but a problem for all people.

Following the rally, which was organized by Radcliffe Union of Students (RUS), participants marched through the campus, shouting anti-violence slogans.

Students raised windows and passersby stopped to listen as the TBTN marchers yelled out: "Two, four, six, eight, stop the violence, stop the hate," and "Gay, straight, black, white, we all have the right to walk at night."

The march wound through the river houses,through the Yard and up to the Quad, passingthrough the Cambridge Commons on the way there.The procession ended in the middle of theRadcliffe Quadrangle, and participants joined in acircle, saying the names of friends or family whowere survivors of violence.

"It was a really different feeling this year,"RUS member Megan L. Peimer '97 said of the rally."It was an empowering evening, rather than justangry. There was a feeling that we have to dosomething, and that we can. It was beautiful."

"I was most impressed by the number of peoplewho would walk by, stop, look and then join therally," Peimer added.

A woman who requested anonymity said shethought "it was one of the few times of the yearwhen there was a safe haven created for men andwomen to speak about violence against women."

Inati L. Ntshanga '95 had a differentperspective.

"It's sad that there were so few people at therally. It's a big issue, and the lack ofparticipation shows the insensitivity of thecommunity," she said. "[The problem of violence]is the responsibility of the community as awhole."

Co-organizer Lucy G. Costa '95 said she waspleased by the rally's positive message.

"We were concerned about a repeat of last year,but the rally was very positive this year," shesaid, referring to the interruption of last year'srally by students opposed to TBTN's message.

"We were basically hoping to raise awarenessand make issues more visible, get them talkedabout. We also wanted to remember people who havesurvived and those who have died as well," shesaid.

Costa said she thought the structure of TBTNwas an important outlet for participants.

"We try to incorporate the entire campus in themarch, so we go past all of the houses, both theRiver and the Quad," she continued. "We likehaving it outside with candles...it literallygives you a sense of taking back the night. Andthe march is important because it gets the energyout. After you hear these stories, you want to dosomething and marching is one way to do that."

Take Back the Night is a sub-committee of RUS.The rally and march were the culmination of a weekof events dedicated to raising awareness ofviolence against women

The march wound through the river houses,through the Yard and up to the Quad, passingthrough the Cambridge Commons on the way there.The procession ended in the middle of theRadcliffe Quadrangle, and participants joined in acircle, saying the names of friends or family whowere survivors of violence.

"It was a really different feeling this year,"RUS member Megan L. Peimer '97 said of the rally."It was an empowering evening, rather than justangry. There was a feeling that we have to dosomething, and that we can. It was beautiful."

"I was most impressed by the number of peoplewho would walk by, stop, look and then join therally," Peimer added.

A woman who requested anonymity said shethought "it was one of the few times of the yearwhen there was a safe haven created for men andwomen to speak about violence against women."

Inati L. Ntshanga '95 had a differentperspective.

"It's sad that there were so few people at therally. It's a big issue, and the lack ofparticipation shows the insensitivity of thecommunity," she said. "[The problem of violence]is the responsibility of the community as awhole."

Co-organizer Lucy G. Costa '95 said she waspleased by the rally's positive message.

"We were concerned about a repeat of last year,but the rally was very positive this year," shesaid, referring to the interruption of last year'srally by students opposed to TBTN's message.

"We were basically hoping to raise awarenessand make issues more visible, get them talkedabout. We also wanted to remember people who havesurvived and those who have died as well," shesaid.

Costa said she thought the structure of TBTNwas an important outlet for participants.

"We try to incorporate the entire campus in themarch, so we go past all of the houses, both theRiver and the Quad," she continued. "We likehaving it outside with candles...it literallygives you a sense of taking back the night. Andthe march is important because it gets the energyout. After you hear these stories, you want to dosomething and marching is one way to do that."

Take Back the Night is a sub-committee of RUS.The rally and march were the culmination of a weekof events dedicated to raising awareness ofviolence against women