Students, Tucson community members and sexual assault prevention advocates gathered at the University of Arizona on April 2 for Wildcats Roar Against Sexual Violence, an event supporting survivors during Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
The event included a free resource fair and 5K run/walk/roll. The 5K and resource fair was a kick off to the beginning of SAAM. Survivor speak-outs and education on sexual assault prevention methods were also included in the event.
The speak-outs and education fair were hosted on the UA Mall. Katlyn Monje, the director of SAAM, gave an introduction that was followed by a blessing from Jasmine Lopez, the Miss Native American University of Arizona.
There were then opening speeches from UA Chief Safety Officer Steve Patterson and Adriana Grijalva, the president of the Associated Students of the University of Arizona. Patterson and Grijalva discussed the importance of sexual assault prevention on college campuses and the need to create safe spaces for victims to share their stories.
“We are here to stand for those who are suffering in silence,” Grijalva said.
According to Patterson, this was the second year at the UA that the Office of Public Safety has hosted Wildcats Roar Against Sexual Violence.
The Esperanza Dance Project performed during these speeches. The project is an organization geared toward “empowering survivors of childhood sexual trauma by eradicating stigma and secrecy while inspiring hope for healing through our impactful dance performance, discussions, and advocacy,” according to their mission statement.
Mayor Regina Romero was also present to show her solidarity in fighting against sexual violence. She read her proclamation that declared April as SAAM in Tucson.
Also in attendance were Pima County Attorney Laura Conover and Tucson Police Department Assistant Chief Diana Duffy. They echoed earlier sentiments of breaking down stigmas behind discussions on sexual violence.
Throughout the stream of speeches and resource tables, students and community members ran, walked and rolled around the mall to take part in the 5K. They all wore teal shirts, the official color for SAAM. The color was chosen to represent the month because it symbolizes trust, calmness and healing.
Included in the resource tables scattered throughout the mall were the Tucson Police Department, the Pima County Attorney Office, Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence, ASUA, Take Back the Night and Thinksafe Seminars, to name a few.
CEO of Arizona Youth Partnership Gauri Gladish discussed some education methods to increase sexual violence prevention on high school and college campuses.
“We need to make it less of a scary thing to talk about,” Gladish said. “We need to discuss sexual assault prevention thoroughly and often enough so that people don’t feel like they have to brush it under the rug or hide from the conversation.”
According to Shyleh Watson, the program educator of Arizona Youth Partnership,
SAAM is important because “everyone needs to know exactly what sexual assault means and what consent entails. By having that terminology, people on college campuses can feel more confident in speaking out and finding support,”
Arizona Youth Partnership offered resources such as information on different forms of abuse, a parent tip sheet for recognizing signs of violence and a handout on learning about healthy relationships.
A performance of a Mexican folk dance was also given by A Todo Folklor, a local dance group dedicated to preserving cultural heritage and fighting against gender, racial and ethnic violence. Through dance the group wanted to show the importance of respect in all aspects of life.
The performance was followed by the survivor speakout portion of the evening. Vulnerable stories were told by those impacted by sexual violence.
Co-Founder of the Culture of Peace Alliance Sat Bir Kaur Khalsa guided the audience through the speeches. Khalsa has been involved in fighting against sexual violence for a long time. She said that she helped to start the first rape crisis center in Toronto, Canada in the late 1970s.
Among the brave survivors to speak out about their stories was former student Elena Santana.
“Here I stand on the campus that victimized me seven years ago. The campus where my abuser tore me down, piece by piece,” Santana said. She said that the campus made her feel alone, ashamed and powerless.
Santana continued to explain her move towards healing.
“Here I stand on the same campus that also helped me heal, because when I couldn’t fight alone, others fought beside me,” Santana said. According to Santana, professionals and colleagues have led her to pursue her passion for social work to help uplift others and create change.
“When we stand together, we shift history,” Santana said.
After a series of other speeches from survivors, Khalsa read out a poem that she wrote.
“Healing is not a fast race, yet there is resilience,” Khalsa said.
The survivor speakout session was followed by a candlelight vigil in memory of those impacted by sexual violence. Closing remarks for the event were given by Dawn Armstrong, the founder of ThinkSafe Seminars.
“I’d like to acknowledge the powerful energy of this night and the courage of the survivors,” Armstrong said.
Armstrong closed out the night with an important sentiment reflected throughout the evening.
“Change is possible when we stand together,” Armstrong said.
There are several events planned by ASUA for SAAM this month, such as a roundtable discussion on navigating healthy relationships and an event to challenge the norm of rape culture. More information on these programs can be found on the ASUA website or social media pages.
Certain reminders are also important to fall back on during SAAM, such as the acronym FRIES. FRIES is a reminder of what consent means and how it is given. It recognizes that consent must be freely given, reversible, informed, engaged and specific.
ASUA is also supporting the I Will campaign throughout the month of April. There is an online pledge that students can fill out to represent their dedication towards ending rape culture and combating stereotypes around sexual violence.
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