Syracuse University seniors Nathalie Pollack and Gabrielle Krawczuk shouted and jumped down Marshall Street together. They had been together since freshman year, when they were roommates.

They were together years ago at the hospital, after Pollack was sexually assaulted. They were together when Pollack reported the assault to the police and SU’s Title IX office. And they were together again Wednesday night, marching down the streets near campus as part of Take Back the Night, an annual rally and call to action to stand against sexual assault, interpersonal violence and rape culture.

“I know that no one should be made to feel as insignificant as I did that night,” Pollack said, tearful, during a speech she gave with Krawczuk in Hendricks Chapel before the march.

The decades-old rally is acknowledged around the globe. It aims to spread knowledge of sexual and domestic violence, and encourages people to speak out against it.

The rally started with Hendricks Chapel Dean Brian Konkol walking through an audience of hundreds of people, briefly introducing the event and the chapel. He said that everyone in the room had dignity, community and the ability to make a difference.

“Hendricks, since its founding in 1930, is more than a safe space,” he said. “Because to be a safe space, you need to also be a brave space. And to be brave is to not only speak truth to power, but it’s also listening for power in truth.”

Speakers at this year’s event included Krawczuk and Pollack, along with Dolan Evanovich, senior vice president for enrollment and the student experience; Office of Health Promotion peer educators; and keynote speaker Tekhara Watson, a staff therapist at SU.

The night began on a lighter note, with a series of skits by Office of Health Promotion peer educators. They demonstrated how to be a “prosocial bystander” and speak out in situations such as catcalling or witnessing an unhealthy relationship.

Watson, the keynote speaker who used to work at Vera House in Syracuse, was described as a “social justice warrior with black girl magic” by a former coworker. Watson said violence can affect anyone.

“I hope that everyone in this room today would hear that interpersonal violence does not discriminate,” she said. “This is more than just a hashtag movement. Speak up and speak out, I repeat, speak up and speak out.”

Watson read statistics from the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence, which states that one in five women will be raped in their lifetime. Watson highlighted the differences in statistics between women of color, white women and women who are queer identifying.

She also described university resources available for students who have experienced sexual assault or other types of violence. Watson said she understood why many people do not come forward. But for those who do, she said she would believe and speak for them.

Evanovich seconded the university’s dedication to addressing sexual and relationship violence as a priority. After the Hendricks Chapel speeches, rally attendees left to march north toward the edge of campus.

As rally attendees made their way down Marshall Street, cries of “Hey hey, ho ho! Rape culture has got to go!” and “Take back the night! Syracuse unite!” filled the air, as demonstrators marched behind a police escort that led the demonstration.

“It brings light to a lot of problems that university students are facing,” said Student Association Student Life Chair Elizabeth Sedore, who attended Take Back the Night. “We need to have our voices heard, and we need to bring attention to these events happening because it’s really damaging to our community, our country and our society.”

Rachel Saunders, co-chair of the Take Back the Night planning committee, and a survivor of sexual assault, said she thought it’s important for people to have their voices heard.

“This event is important for survivors because it shows that there is support in the community,” Saunders said. “There are people who are going to believe you.”

At the end of the rally, members of the planning committee read off ways attendees said they would “take back the night.”

Pollack said during the march that sharing her story with Krawczuk was a release for her and she said she hopes it showed attendees there’s support, if they go through similar experiences.

She ended the night, shouting and smiling with her freshman year roommate.

Published on March 29, 2018 at 7:19 am

Contact Catherine: ccleffer@syr.edu | @ccleffert