Students unite to 'Take Back the Night'

"Women unite! Take back the night!" Their message rang clear -- date rape, sexual violence and discrimination will not be tolerated on the University's campus. But the more than 200 students, faculty, parents and community members who added their voices to the vocal chorus, were not just women. People of all genders, races and sexual orientations, under the direction of the Penn Women's Center and the National Organization for Women, gathered on College Green yesterday evening to 'Take Back the Night.' The event began with a speech by Elena DiLapi, director of the Women's Center. It was followed by a candlelight march which wound around the entire campus and returned to College Green, where sexual assault survivors and others spoke out against rape and sexual violence. "We are assembled here as our right to free speech, of our right to protest harassment, as our right to speak out on our behalf, and to reclaim our voices," DiLapi said. "'Take Back the Night' is about breaking silence?. We want no sympathy. All we want is the violence in our lives stopped," she added. According to College sophomore Negin Noorchashm, one in four women are victims of rape or attempted rape. "The fact is, rape and sexual assault happen, and because they do, women do not feel safe," she said. The 'Take Back the Night' rally was last held at the University in 1989 when it was interrupted by hecklers. This year, organizers anticipated this reaction and publicized the event, receiving the support of many women's groups, including the Panhellenic Council and Students Against Acquaintance Rape. College sophomore Mary Jane Lee, president of the University's NOW chapter, said the organizers attempted to make the event University-wide. "Everyone was so clear that this was a positive event," she said. "We talked to the IFC president and he was behind us?As long as everyone understands what it means, I don't see how you could possibly underrate it." And most of the people in attendance seemed to agree. "I think it's really important that the women on this campus feel empowered to walk around safely," said College senior Heidi Goldstein. "Survivors of acquaintance rape deserve the support of all the other women on this campus." Several parents also attended the event in order to voice their own anger. "We are concerned about our children," said the father of one University sophomore. Still others attended "just to see what it's all about." "It's interesting," said College freshman Peter McGill. "I guess you could call it curiosity." "You pass by, you see it, but you don't really know anything about it -- especially when you're a guy," said College senior Paul Duncan. But not everyone in attendance was in complete agreement with the aims and ideals of the organizers. "[Acquaintance rape] is a he-said, she-said thing," said Wharton freshman Ari Gendason. "I'm not saying that rape doesn't exist, but when you start accusing people, you better be damn sure that it occurred because a person's reputation is on the line." Several students said the rally was not conducive to men's participation. "I don't think that most men would feel comfortable here," one student commented. "I think it has a very women-oriented spirit." But many were quick to point out that women are not the only victims of sexual assault. "I'm not safe here at this school," said Brian Linson, a former University student who filed a sexual harassment complaint with the U.S. Department of Education against the University."I was sexually harassed here?. This happens to women, but it also happens to men." DiLapi did say the rally's emphasis was limited. "We chose to focus on women, not to exclude our brothers, but rather to underscore the pattern of violence," she said. Throughout the week, women have worn purple ribbons to signify their dedication to the "Take Back the Night" theme and tied white ribbons to a female symbol on Locust Walk to represent individual acts of assault, according to Lee. Event organizers also faced University-wide concerns about the "politically correct radical basis" of the Women's Center. "We are here together to stop the backlash on this campus," DiLapi said. "We are here to stop the lies that the Penn Women's Center serves only a few crazed radicals." The general theme of the evening was empowerment. "We can make a difference," said Barbara DiTuillio, president of the Pennsylvania chapter of NOW. "And we can make it a safer place for all of us to live as long as each of us speaks out and takes back the night."