“Take Back the Night” at Saint Mary's and Notre Dame, Wednesday, April 22

take back the night logoContact:
Gwen O’Brien 
Director of Media Relations
Saint Mary's College
Notre Dame, Ind. 46556
(574) 284-4579

April 21, 2015 (Notre Dame, Ind.)—The Saint Mary’s College Belles Against Violence Office will once again team up with the University of Notre Dame’s Gender Relations Center to put on the annual Take Back the Night event. The public is invited to attend a series of activities tomorrow evening, April 22, to raise awareness and break the silence surrounding violence and abuse. April is national Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

“This is an annual event which offers the opportunity for those directly impacted by sexual violence to share their stories. I hope that it provides healing for both individuals impacted by sexual assault and the greater community,” said Connie Adams, director of the Belles Against Violence Office (BAVO) at Saint Mary’s, is one of the event’s planners.

Take Back the Night will begin at Saint Mary’s at 5:30 p.m. with a “Kick-Off” near Lake Marian. (Click for a campus map.) From there, participants will walk to the Grotto at Notre Dame, where a candlelight vigil will be held at 6 p.m.

“By beginning the event with a candlelight vigil, our efforts are centered in prayer and faith. I believe it truly deepens our solidarity and reignites our commitment to prevention,” Adams said. “I have witnessed survivors empowered through their participation.”

There will be a march around the Notre Dame campus around 6:30 p.m. The final portion of the program is a Speak Out held in the Oak Room of South Dining Hall at 7 p.m., where survivors or other individuals who have been impacted by sexual violence will be given the opportunity to share their stories in a safe and supportive environment. This portion of the event is closed to the media. The Speak Out will be followed by a free dinner.

National statistics indicate that that one out of every six women will be sexually assaulted during their lifetime; college-aged women are four times more likely to be sexually assaulted; and 60 percent of all sexual assaults go unreported. Victims of sexual assault are also three times more likely to suffer from depression; 13 times more likely to abuse alcohol; and 26 times more likely to abuse drugs. In addition, one in every six women in the United States experience stalking and more than half of female stalking survivors have experienced it before the age of 25 (Sources: Rape, Abuse & Incest Network; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey).

Co-sponsors include the Notre Dame Committee on Sexual Assault Prevention, Feminists United, Saint Mary’s Social Work Department, Saint Mary’s Circle K, Saint Mary’s Department of Gender & Women’s Studies, PrismND, Shades of Ebony, Saint Mary’s Campus Ministry, Notre Dame Campus Ministry, Saint Mary’s Athletics & Recreation, Army ROTC, Notre Dames, Notre Dame Student Government and Men Against Violence.

About Saint Mary’s College: Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Ind., is a four-year, Catholic, residential, women’s liberal arts college offering five bachelor’s degrees and more than 30 major areas of study, such as business, nursing, art, chemistry, and social work. In the fall of 2015 Saint Mary’s College will begin to offer two graduate degrees: a Master of Science and a Doctorate. All programs that fall under these degrees are co-educational and include a Master of Science in Data Science, a Master of Science in Speech Language Pathology, and a Doctorate of Nursing Practice. Founded in 1844 by the Sisters of the Holy Cross, Saint Mary’s College’s mission is to educate students, develop their talents, and prepare them to make a difference in the world. Saint Mary’s College ranks among the top 100 Best National Liberal Arts Colleges for 2015 published by U.S. News & World Report.

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