Hunter
04/25/24
University of Iowa students and staff gathered at the Pentacrest Tuesday evening to participate in an event calling for an end to sexual violence.
Take Back The Night is an international event and non-profit organization with the mission of ending sexual, relationship, and domestic violence in all forms. Hundreds of events are held in over 30 countries annually.
The University of Iowa event began in 1979, and was organized by the Women’s Resource and Action Center, or WRAC. The Daily Iowan reports that over the years, the event has grown into a rally and march to speak out against sexual violence on campus.
Over a dozen speakers shared their experiences with sexual assault, and voiced disappointment that the UI plans to move its Rape Victim Advocacy Program services to the Domestic Violence Intervention Program.
The DI added the university’s most recent Speak Out Now Survey from 2021 showed 28 percent of women and 8 percent of gender-nonconforming individuals reported experiencing some kind of sexual violence since starting their education at the UI. Women’s Resource and Action Center peer educator Morgan Fisher said that sexual violence on campus is a prevalent issue that hasn’t been given the attention it needs.
