BRANDON TORRES
STAFF WRITER

On April 19, the CSUSM Women’s Center will be hosting the 6th annual Take Back the Night, an event featuring activities where individuals will speak out against sexual assault.

Beginning at 5 p.m. in Library Plaza, the event will include various activities including spoken word, a resource fair and a candlelight vigil and will culminate with a march down Twin Oaks Valley Road.

“[Take Back the Night] is an opportunity for women to take back their fears of the night. It’s a chance to give a voice [to] women who have survived domestic violence or assault,” Gender Equity Peer Educator, Raihana Siddiq, said.

According to the Women Center’s website, 1 out of every 6 American women have been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime.

“We want people on campus to see that domestic violence and assault is a serious issue,” Siddiq said.

The Take Back the Night resource fair will prove services to students who have experienced domestic violence or who wish to learn more about the topic. During the fair, there will also be performers reading poetry, performing dance routines and singing.

Following the fair, there will be an opportunity for individuals to share their stories regarding assault in a “speak out circle.”

The event will conclude with a march down Twin Oaks road for all who wish to join. Participants will make posters in an effort to make this issue more visible to the public.

“Women need to speak out and not be embarrassed about their experiences. This is a serious issue, and we hope that this event makes that abundantly clear. This serious issue so often gets trivialized, but we want people to see that this exists and it’s real,” Siddiq said.

For more information regarding this event, please visit the Women’s Center located in Commons 203.