Marshall University’s Women’s Studies Student Association and Women’s Center will join CONTACT of Huntington and Branches in a rally at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 14, to raise awareness of sexual and domestic violence. The event will take place on the Memorial Student Center Plaza on Marshall’s Huntington campus.
The rally will be accompanied by several other events, said Dr. Dawn Howerton, assistant professor of psychology at Marshall. Here is a list of the events:
Monday, Oct. 13: A poster-making party will be held at 8 p.m. in the First-Year South residence hall lobby in preparation for the Take Back the Night Rally. The Marshall University Women’s Studies Student Association will lead a consent workshop.
Tuesday, Oct. 14: During the day (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.), the following groups will have tables set up in the Memorial Student Center lobby: Branches (domestic violence shelter), CONTACT (rape-crisis center), Psychology Department Clinic, Women’s Center, Women’s Studies Student Association.
In the evening (7-10 p.m.), the local band “The Disappearing Man” will play in the Memorial Student Center lobby. Then, members of the Huntington and Marshall communities will share readings and stories of domestic and sexual violence and survival. Following the scheduled readings, there will be an open invitation for anyone present to share his or her own story.
After the readings, everyone will be asked to take a sign and join the Take Back the Night Rally march across the campus. A leader will shout chants for everyone to repeat in order to spread awareness to the Marshall community. The rally will finish up back on the Memorial Student Center plaza for a candlelight vigil, where there will be another opportunity for anyone who wants to share his or her story in a smaller setting.
