Sexual assault remains one of the most underreported crimes in this country. According to the U.S. Department of Justice’s 2005 National Crime Victimization Study, 60 percent of sexual assault is never reported. The majority of victims are female, but men are the least likely to report a sexual assault, even though they make up close to 10 percent of all victims.

College Feminists puts on Take Back the Night every year as part of an international movement to speak out against rape and sexual assault. While its origins are in the women’s movement, Take Back the Night is for people of all ages, races, sexualities and gender identities.

This year, our beneficiary is Porchlight Counseling in Evanston. Porchlight Counseling is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit corporation that provides therapy to college students after they have been sexually assaulted so that they may come to call themselves survivors instead of victims.

To raise awareness for this important issue and to support Porchlight Counseling, College Feminists is asking Northwestern to help us break the silence around sexual violence by attending Take Back the Night on Thursday, April 28. We invite you to join us for a barbecue at the Women’s Center at 5:30 p.m., a rally at the Rock at 6:30 p.m., a march around campus at 7:30 p.m. and a survivor speak-out at 8:00 p.m. in Dittmar Gallery at Norris.

– Annie Adams & Emily Scherker

Take Back the Night Co-Chairs, College Feminists