Music, dancing and earnest testimonials filled the Martha Street Culp Auditorium Monday night during ETSU’s 6th annual Take Back the Night rally, a national program aimed at raising awareness of violence against women.
Over 250 people attended the event, “the best one we’ve done,” Kim Bushore-Maki said, of the ETSU Counseling Center and member of the Take Back the Night Planning Committee.
The theme for this year’s rally was is the Voice of Complicity, alluding to the prevalent view of sexual and domestic violence as a taboo subject. “We want to raise awareness that sexual violence does happen and it does happen here,” Bushore-Maki said.
In fact, much of the program emphasized that sexual assaults happen at ETSU.
Jennifer Cunningham was one of the ETSU students who spoke of the sexual assault they experienced while at ETSU. Cunningham read an original poem entitled “How?” about the sexual abuse she suffered as a child. “You feel like you have no worth,” she said.
Lending a male voice to the chorus of survivors and supporters of survivors was Michael Carter, also an ETSU student, who spoke of the sexual assault of his girlfriend by his best friend.
“One in four women will be raped in her lifetime,” Carter said. “When will it happen to your sister, your mother or your girlfriend?”
Statistically, a rape occurs on an American college campus every 21 hours. The requisite administrative presence was filled by Dr. Wayne Andrews, ETSU’s vice president for administration, who emphasized that the majority of rapes, 85 percent, are committed by a friend or acquaintance of the victim. Andrews also reiterated the university’s stance on sexual assault.
“Violence and intimidation in any form will not be tolerated at ETSU,” he said.
Much of the program focused on the lingering aftereffects of rape, and the struggle to overcome feelings of guilt, shame and self-loathing.
“I decided not to let this rape run my life,” ETSU student Niche Vereen said, after reading “My Special Gift,” an original poem about her sexual assault.
“I don’t want you to think of me as a rape victim. I want you to know that Niche is a survivor,” she said.
The hour-long program managed sentiment without being preachy. Heather Carter sang two original compositions, “Take Back the Night” and “Glow Sticks.”
The event ended with a reading of the Pledge of Zero Tolerance for Violence, which begins, “I acknowledge that there are many people who do not respect women. I will not be one of those people.”
Following the rally was a short march around campus, complete with banner, megaphone and chants of “Take back the night,” “No means no,” and “Stop the violence, stop the hate.”
While the rally itself focused on physical violence, Bushore-Maki emphasizes the importance of understanding the societal pressures that create an environment accommodating to violence. Oppressive and confining gender roles prevent women and men from treating each other with respect, says Bushore-Maki. “We need to redefine what it means to be a woman.”
Future plans for the event include a stronger emphasis on domestic violence and a separate program addressing how men can become involved. The theme for next year will likely be Liberating Girls’ Voices and Bushore-Maki said she hopes to incorporate local girls and adolescents into the program.
Take Back the Night was sponsored by ETSU’s Campus Advocates Against Sexual Violence (CAASV), Counseling Center, Intercollegiate Athletics, Women’s Studies Program, Office of Student Affairs, Housing Office, Residence Hall Association, Public Safety, Student Health Services, and Women’s Resource Center College of Nursing and Department of Communication, along with various student organizations.
Long-sleeve T-shirts are available for $10 from the Counseling Center.
For more information on Take Back the Night contact Bushore-Maki in the ETSU Counseling Center at 439-4841 or at bushorem@etsu.edu.

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