From April 16 through 18, Houghton will partner with international organization Take Back the Night to hold several events focused on raising awareness about sexual abuse and related issues.
Over the course of the three days, featured gatherings will include a chapel message from Kristina Lacelle-Peterson, a Take Bake The Night coffeehouse, discussion group, prayer meeting, and a panel about Christianity and sexuality. In addition to testimonies and spoken poetry that will be shared at the coffeehouse, the newest issue of the Lanthorn will debut and feature stories, contemplations, advocacies, and outcries related to this theme.
A group of student leaders, including Carina Martin ’18, Rachel Zimmerman ‘18, Emily Vandenbosch ‘18, and others, have been working diligently to make the event a success. With different skill sets, experiences, and church backgrounds, each student brings a unique perspective to the table.
This year’s theme for Take Back the night is raising awareness for “sexual and emotional abuse when it occurs within the context of the church,” Martin commented. She also noted that it is not intended to be a fund-raising event, but primarily centered on discussion and engagement, as “Everybody has to think about these issues and find ways to deal with this kind of stuff when it happens.” She explained that, “While you yourself might not have been affected by it, your congregation and your church have been affected—almost certainly.”
Zimmerman, editor of the Lanthorn, eagerly anticipated the sharing of poetry, music, and testimonies at the coffeehouse. She commented on her hopes for the evening, highlighting the fact that “poetry and creative writing are some of the most powerful ways to communicate.The power of individual stories and the ability to communicate an emotion—giving someone else access to that emotion—that is really valuable.”
On the meaning of the slogan “Take Back the Night,” Zimmerman elaborated that, “it has a lot to do with what it means to be a woman. The night is symbolic of fear, and this is sort of a way to reclaim the nighttime—reclaim something that everyone should be comfortable in and has been taken from a lot of people and replaced with fear.”
This event has the potential to open the eyes of many who find themself in the dark when it comes to issues related to sexual assault. Vandenbosch described the nature of the event as eye-opening, saying, “Take Back the Night was started to raise awareness of sexual assault and violence on college campuses. This year, we are addressing sex and the church, and both the implicit and explicit messages conveyed about their relationship.” She also mentioned that these events are structured to provide “unique, personal perspectives on how sermons, theologies, resources, and teachings of the Christian church have impacted various individuals’ views of themselves, others, God, sex and sexual assault.”
Take Back The Night highlights issues and shares perspectives that many students have possibly never encountered to help people find a better way to raise discussions about sexual assault and related topics. As Vandenbosch shared, “The purpose of Take Back the Night is to make the Houghton community aware of the underlying issues and causes related to sexual assault, violence and perversion.”
One major emphasis this year is the role of the Church in the context of sex and sexual assault. “People often believe the church is a safe space when it comes to sexual assault, or even sex in general. They believe that is not where the problem lies,” Vandenbosch commented. This year’s leaders are making an effort to address this issue, and expect impactful events and discussions for all who attend.