Vigil protests domestic violence

The shirts have adorned Locust Walk for the past week -- with messages of empowerment including "My Body is Not Your Wonderland," "Stop the Violence" and "'No.' is a Full Sentence" -- but it was last night that the messages became more than slogans.

It was at Take Back the Night that over a hundred students assembled on College Green to speak out against rape and violence against women.

The nationally recognized day -- in its 10th year of observation at Penn -- included a free self-defense seminar, a performance by Quaker Notes, a march and several hours of testimonials.

"Take Back the Night is about speaking up and speaking out," Penn Women's Center Director Elena DiLapi told the crowd. "Sexual violence and relationship violence will not be tolerated on this campus."

Yet in the experiences of many present, much has to be accomplished before sexual violence is eliminated on campus.

"I've seen a lot of misogynistic behavior here" at Penn, College junior Lynn Huang said. "It's terrible, because college is a time when women are growing up into their own."

Huang, a Penn for Choice member, also revealed her own experience with sexual assault at a fraternity party.

"When it happened to me, I didn't say anything about it," she said. "But tonight, I'm showing my voice."

The majority of the night was about showing a strong voice, and the testimonials -- revealed to the crowd at the candlelight vigil -- included stories of molestation, rape and domestic violence.

"It's about the behavior of that man and not about me," a rape survivor emphasized to the audience.

For those that needed it, the event organizers had arranged for counselors to be available throughout the event to speak to students.

"You have friends in Special Services," Vice President for Public Safety Maureen Rush told attendees. "You have friends on this campus.

"Without putting our voices to something important, it's going to stay the same," she added.

Organizers and participants recognized this power of speaking out and encouraged it throughout the event.

"It felt great to shout and have our voices heard," organizer and College senior Leah Tulin said. "It was really moving and empowering."

"We're here to show our collective strength and solidarity," Tulin said to the gathered crowd.

Yet even on a night emphasizing the need to speak out, participants also held a moment of silence, in honor of those unable to speak out.

"In times like this, it is also important to remember those we have lost," DiLapi said.

Although the night was ultimately about many things -- commemoration, reflection and empowerment among them --solidarity was perhaps the most important to many in attendance.

"It's important to show support," Huang said. "It could be any one of us."

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