By Corinne Schmidt
MOORHEAD — On Thursday Sept. 25, Concordia held their first ever “Take Back the Night” event. It brought people together from Concordia College and the Minnesota State University Moorhead (MSUM) campuses to bring awareness to sexual violence.
Take Back the Night is a global movement opposing sexual violence in all forms. Originating in the 1970s as a protest against violence toward women, it has since evolved into a campaign promoting strength and empowerment within all communities.
This year, the Center for Holistic Health (CHH) teamed up with MSUM’s Rainbow Dragon and Women’s Center to host the event. It included a myriad of activities, meant to bring awareness and propel the conversation about sexual violence on campus.
“I think it’s really important in the beginning months to enhance this conversation because over 50% of this (sexual violence) occurs before November,” Jennifer Barker, the Director of Student Conduct at Concordia said. “We want to get people talking and opening up this conversation. The statistics aren’t changing so we really need to bring everybody together.”
The night started with Concordia students walking over to MSUM where the event began at 5 p.m. There was t-shirt designing with messages of hope for a Clothesline Project in May, live Painting by Lauren Starling from Starling Artistry, luminary decorating to honor survivors or display allyship, survivor speakout where survivors can share their stories, and Fears to Flames where participants can either write down or verbally share their fears, then burn them in the fire.
At 6 p.m., there was a keynote led by Maddy Griffin from the Rape & Abuse Crisis Center. The evening concluded with a guided meditation at 6:45 p.m. before participants headed back to Concordia.
Although this was Concordia’s first time hosting such an event, Michelle Draxten, CHH’s Health Promotion Coordinator, said that she is excited about the future of similar programs.
“It can be really powerful, but it can also be emotional and so really wanting to provide that campus community here at Concordia,” said Draxten. “We want to walk together and be supportive. Whether you are a victim, survivor, ally, or just want to know about what this is, I’d encourage people to attend…When the Take Back the Night happens again, it might be on our campus. Inviting the wider community to learn will be exciting.”
A Concordia counselor was present to provide assistance throughout the evening. Afterward, students could schedule appointments with CHH or use TimelyCare, which offers 24/7 online services.
The event may have been new for Concordia, but Barker and Draxten each have high hopes for the future, hoping that each student that took part left feeling empowered.
“I hope they come away with learning something new and how they can be a part of the solution in terms of preventing assault and violence,” said Draxten. “Then, being able to share with at least one other person about what they learned and knowing that it does take everybody.”
