Published: April 15, 2008 10:54 pm         

‘Take Back The Night’: MSU candlelight vigil, rally aims to raise sexual assault, domestic violence awareness

A much younger Kashavera Williams was sexually abused in two foster homes, but she said no one would listen to her then.

Tuesday night, the Mountain State University social work and psychology major took her stories to a stage — where nearly 30 people listened.

MSU hosted a Take Back the Night rally at the John W. Eye Conference Center Tuesday night. The event, presented by the Raleigh County Sexual Assault Response Team (SART), was designed to raise awareness about sexual assault and domestic violence.

This type of rally, done worldwide, was conducted for the first time at MSU, said Cristi Richardson, residence life manager. Richardson is a member of SART and noticed sexual assault and domestic violence is growing in the region. MSU officials want students to be safe.

Deanna O’Dell, a client advocate for the Women’s Resource Center, emphasized those in small communities are not isolated from violent crime. The WRC operates in four counties and the Raleigh County office alone serves both male and female domestic violence and sexual assault victims every day. About one-third of all people have either been a victim, or knows someone who has.

“It is in our little rural community,” she said.

“...I hope men realize this is not just a ‘woman’s thing.’ It does happen to men, and when this does happen to a man, it does not make him less of a man.”

O’Dell noted the number of sexual assault and domestic violence reports are probably much higher than what authorities have in hand because so many do not report these crimes to police.

Brittany Allen, an MSU nursing student from Union, and Courtney Tennant, a crime scene investigation major from Elkins, noted their future careers will have them working with sexual assault and domestic violence victims.

“This does happen in my community and down the street,” Allen said. “Someday, I will have to deal with this. It’s heartbreaking.”

Tennant said sometimes people will ridicule victims they consider “bad,” who somehow deserved what happened. She believes members of the public need to take sexual assault and domestic violence seriously, regardless.

Webster Springs resident Brandon Payne is a criminal justice graduate student at MSU who has studied forensics. He said has had to view photos of domestic violence and sexual assault victims. These victims can receive minor cuts or bruises — or be killed.

“It makes you want to go home and love your family,” he said. “...It happens everywhere. It happens every day. It could be your friend attacked while walking away in the parking lot.”

— E-mail: apridemore@register-herald.com