Dozens of students, counselors, rape and sexual assault survivors attended the 10th annual “Speak Out” event held at the Soroptimist House on Thursday.
The event was sponsored by Sexual Assault Crisis Agency (SACA), the Women’s Resource Center and Interval House.
“There’s a lot of silence around sexual assault,” said Ashleigh Klein, SACA’s Director of Outreach and Education. “[The event is] survivors’ opportunity to speak out and to educate the community and campus.”
The evening began with a self defense class offered inside the house. For those who did not wish to participate in the class, informational booths were available and shirt-making tents for the Clothesline Project were set up.
Behind the stage set-up, a large banner read, “Imagine a World Without Sexual Violence…”
“It’s a reminder of why I’m doing this work,” Klein said, who has attended the event for the past three years. “You hear so many different stories of so many women and men. There’s a purpose and it’s needed.”
Before the open-microphone portion of the event began, two SACA volunteers, Melissa Baylor and Tiombe Preston, were honored for their work.
“It’s always really odd to receive a reward for something you feel is right–for something you feel is part of who you are,” Preston said, after she received the 10-year Commitment to Service award. “I have the honor of seeing the healing process and knowing that it’s possible.”
Brenda Vivar, a 23-year-old psychology major, said she felt the event was an important opportunity for the survivors.
“I think it helps them a lot,” Vivar said. “If they keep it inside, they probably are hurting themselves,” she said.
Jan Tribble, who works with SACA, said, “People are always blaming the survivor, but the reality is the responsibility is on the perpetrator.” According to Tribble, the event was designed to give survivors to “talk without shame.”
“I needed to share my story,” said Annie Gohlson, a 22-year-old music major and survivor of sexual assault. Gohlson attended last year’s Speak Out, and said, “I was so moved by the last time. I feel it really is my responsibility to ending the cycle of sexual assault.”
Speakers told their stories of rape, incest, abuse and more. They spoke about forgiving, betrayal, depression, families being torn apart and about the way they tried to heal.
The process the survivors went through varied greatly. Some found comfort in religion. Some tried to commit suicide. Some had children and began their own families. Some turned to exotic dancing or prostitution.
Mary O’Connor, a 30-year-old multiple-rape and sexual assault survivor, lived as a sex worker.
“I was leading a very dangerous life,” O’Conner said. In fact, she was once told that if she chose to report the crime committed against her, she would be arrested for prostitution.
This was O’Connor’s first Speak Out, and she heard about it as a client of SACA.
“I want to talk to a crowd of people who know what it’s like to be told ‘you were only raped,'” O’Connor said, who plans to write a book about her experiences.
SACA counselors were available to speak with any survivor who felt they needed to talk after sharing their experience. Each participant was given a flower bud after they spoke.
“I am constantly healing,” Gohlson said. She encourages students “to not be afraid or think you’re not a part of it. We’re all a part of it. We can’t just sit around. We must be active and notice this was all our responsibility.”
The event is held every year, and the Clothesline Project will resume on campus later this month and be displayed on the Friendship Walk.
