Taking back the night

Showalter Fountain was the scene of another protest Wednesday night. But this time the cause was much larger than any celebrity. Students and members of the community stood around the barren fountain and huddled under umbrellas to honor victims of domestic and sexual violence.\nDespite the sheets of rain and stinging cold, nearly 80 men and women attended the vigil that kicked off the two-day protest to stop violence against women.\n"I feel this is an important cause for men as well as women," junior Becca Cross said. "I think people should be informed." \n"Last night I heard the screaming, another sleepless night … the police always come late, if they come at all," sang one of the participants of the vigil. The song "Behind the Wall" by Tracy Chapman started off the evening.\nCommittee Chair Julie Thomas, junior Jimmanee Spears, junior Melissa Kijewski and other committee members attempted to light seven candles to recognize the fears of women as well as their spirit and the spirit of others. Candles were lit for the women who have escaped from abuse, those who are afraid to travel alone in the streets, those who are victims, those who are afraid, the friends and lovers who offer support and for peace and healing.\nThe committee then handed candles to the crowd and began the ceremony to remember the four women who had been victims of domestic abuse or violence in the past year.\n"Unfortunately, the sky is crying tonight, but I think it is rather appropriate and I am sorry that our candles could not stay lit, but the fact that all of you came and all of you care has touched every one of us in the community," Thomas said.\nThe crowd struggled against the wind to keep their flames lit as the committee told the gruesome stories of local victims.\nDonetta Adams, Jannifer Cockrell and Jennifer Meece were all murdered by their ex-boyfriends. The fourth candle was lit for Jill Berhman, who disappeared last May during a bike ride and is still missing.\n"Eighty-five percent of rape victims know their attacker, only one in nine or one out of 12 rape victims ever report their incident to the police, every six minutes in this country a woman is raped," Thomas told the crowd, "These are just numbers, but there are so many women in our community that deal with rape."\nThomas then invited anyone in the crowd to share their story. Spears started the discussion with her disturbing tale of harassment.\n"To this day, this issue affects my life … but I am not going to back down," she said.\nAfter a few minutes of silence, a girl made her way to the front of the crowd to tell her story.\n"It happened to me, and I am not ashamed," she said.\nSeveral women and men then followed the example of their peers. \nOne man, who experienced the pain of rape through friends and relatives made an attempt at an apology for his gender.\n"Sometimes I feel ashamed of my gender, sometimes we just don't treat women the way that they deserve," he said.\nAfter everyone had the chance to speak, a participant led the crowd in another song. The crowd diminished slowly and quietly, but most were more relieved than before they came.\nGraduate student Keith Chlapaty was saddened by the size of the crowd.\n"We turnout 2,000 strong to riot about a basketball coach, and to see this paltry turnout tonight, I find it a shame," Chlapaty said.\nKijewski said she hopes that several things come out of the program. "I would like to see more people speak out against their perpetrators, see more women be able to take a stand against men who hurt them verbally or physically, I want to see women rise and know that they can do it, and they can be strong, and that there are people out there to help them do this," she said.