Tbtn Info Doc

Shatter the Silence. Stop the Violence. Babson College Take Back the Night. April 3, 2013. 7 PM, PepsiCo. Candlelight Vigil Directly Following.

What is Take Back The Night? In 2001, Katie Koestner led the initiative, along with others committed to the mission of TBTN, to establish the international headquarters and charitable 501(c)3 foundation of Take Back The Night. Katie Koestner was the first woman to speak out nationally and publicly about date rape and has personally spoken at over 400 Take Back the Night events throughout North America. Our Board of Advisors represents a cross-section of those who have a long-standing history with Take Back the Night and passion for our cause.

The Take Back The Night Foundation seeks to end sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual abuse and all other forms of sexual violence. We serve to create safe communities and respectful relationships through awareness events and initiatives.

Women across the world are taking back their voices by speaking out against these crimes, but there is much to be accomplished in the fight to end sexual violence. Crimes of this nature continue to appear in the news in epidemic proportions. As the history of Take Back The Night continues to be written, its mission to end sexual violence for all remains a beacon of hope for the millions affected by crimes of violence. We have made great strides, but our march is far from over.

Schedule of the Week’s Events:

March 31-April 6: These Hands Aren’t for Hurting Mural creation. April 3: Katie Koestner speaking on campus at 7 PM in PepsiCo. Candlelight vigil directly following. April 7: Sexual Assault Awareness Discussion and Personal Safety Techniques with Public Safety. 2 PM, Olin Needham-Wellesley Room 2

What Will This Look Like At Babson? There is very little programming at Babson around the issue of sexual assault on campus. The goal of this event is to bring the issue to the forefront, create an open an honest dialogue on Babson’s campus about this issue, and support anyone affected by this epidemic.

The plan is to have a week of programming around sexual assault on college campuses. This week will run from March 31, 2013 – April 7, 2013. The week falls during Greek Week; Greek Council has agreed to advertise this event and not have any competing events on April 3, 2013 (the date of the speaker and vigil) and will encourage Babson’s Greek community to attend.

Volunteers will photograph organizations on campus with the members holding out their hands. I will make flyers with these pictures saying “(ORGANIZATION NAME)’s hands aren’t for hurting”. Sports teams, Greek life, residents of residence halls (i.e. Park Manor Central 3rd floor ladies) will be photographed. Descriptions of individual events follow.

These Hands Aren’t for Hurting Mural. Participants will trace their hands on a mural that says “These Hands Aren’t for Hurting”. Participants will write this phrase next to their own handprint and sign their name. Volunteers will go to sports teams’ practices and Greek life meetings to have the organization members participate. Reynolds carts are reserved from 12 PM – 1:30 PM from March 31—April 6 and will staff these carts with volunteers who will get members of the Babson community to trace their hands and sign their names. These murals will be hung from the Reynolds balconies during this week.

Image of another university’s mural: 3

Katie Koestner, Founder of TBTN Foundation, Speaking at Babson. Katie Koestner is a national expert on student safety and wellness. As the Executive Director of Campus Outreach Services, a national organization dedicated to developing research-supported curricula, model policies, and outstanding educational programs for schools on student risk issues, she has assisted more than 1,500 schools across the country in enhancing their prevention and response to sexual and technology related misconduct over the last fifteen years. Katie founded the Take Back the Night foundation in 2001. Ms. Koestner has appeared on the cover of TIME magazine and featured as the subject of an HBO Documentary. She and her work have been featured on Lifetime, NBC Nightly News, CNN, CNBC, Larry King Live, the Oprah Winfrey Show, Good Morning America, Later Today, and dozens of other media outlets. Ms. Koestner is the co-author of two books on sexual assault policy and procedures for schools and the creator of “Responding to Sexual Misconduct: A Customizable Training Manual for Schools.” Her highly sought-after lectures have been heard by the top officers of the Department of Defense, the incoming classes at MIT, Dartmouth, Brown, Amherst, Williams, West Point, as well as Fortune 500 Companies. Her unique partnerships have included work with the Jacksonville Jaguars to reach over three dozen urban schools in Jacksonville, FL and the creation of an interactive, educational CD ROM with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Katie will speak on April 3, 2013 at 7 PM in PepsiCo. All members of the community are invited and encouraged to hear her speak.

Candlelight Vigil. The audience honors victims and survivors with this exhibit to light the way toward the end of sexual violence. The vigil will leave PepsiCo directly after Katie speaks. It will wind around the upper fields, pass Coleman, and end in Barefoot Park. Along the walk route, volunteers will silently hold posters with sexual assault facts, statistics, and stories. Walkers will carry unlit candles and wear glow-in-the-dark wristbands and TBTN t-shirts. The candles will be lit at Barefoot Park in a circle by “sharing the light” – it will begin with one member of the community who will then share their candle’s flame with the individual next to them until the entire circle has their candle lit. Members of the Babson community will then speak briefly about resources available, the strength of survivors, the courage it takes to report sexual assaults, etc. After this, the mic will be open for any community member to speak—they can tell their story, express support….whatever they feel they would like to say to the community.

A representative from HRS will be present along with representatives from the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center. 4

Sexual Assault Awareness Discussion and Personal Safety Techniques with Public Safety. An awareness discussion and personal safety technique session will be offered on Sunday, April 7 at 2 PM by Public Safety in Olin Needham-Wellesley room. All members of the Babson community are welcome.

Role of Men in These Events. Men are welcome and encouraged to attend every one of these events. Both men and women can be survivors of sexual violence; this is not only a “women-only” issue. Men showing support of this event will send a powerful message to the campus community—that their hands aren’t for hurting, that they support women who have been victims on campus of sexual assault. These events will not blame men for the epidemic; the goal is to empower men to support and intervene when they may be bystanders of a sexual assault.