Anti-violence
rally sparks dialogue with Alexander
By Katie Plourd
Online Forty-Niner
Managing Editor
Just hours after an attempted sexual assault occurred on campus, Cal State
Long Beach students began the Take Back the Night event to rally and show their
support for the struggle to stop violence against women Wednesday evening at
Brotman Hall.
News of the event initiated conversation and debate about how the university
addresses issues of violence against women and the steps the administration
currently takes and needs to take to prevent such incidents.
President F. King Alexander took the mic, which was open to anyone who wanted
to speak on the topic, about half way through the rally. He told students an
attempted assault had occurred and the targeted victim ran away from the attacker.
University police were still searching for the suspect as he spoke.
He advised students to be aware of their surroundings when on campus, to take
safety seriously, be alert and take note of what goes on around them.
Alexander said there are lots of issues from the physical planning perspective
of the university he wants students to partake in improvements to prevent assaults
from happening in the future.
Senior women studies major Thu Ha Tran said Alexander needed to address topics
of violence against women to others on campus as well.
“
Now can you go over to the football field and say that to them over there,
the athletes and men?” Tran asked.
She said she felt it was important to bring these issues to others, including
those who practice violence and derogatory treatment of women.
Alexander said he was not just talking to the women, but that awareness should
be addressed to all students.
Another student in the audience said she did not feel like he should be lecturing
her about worrying constantly and being alert on campus, or having to fear
being attacked.
“
You keep saying that we need to be alert, you’re telling us that we need
to be alert,” she said. “You are the president of this campus and
you are saying we need to be alert when going to our classes. I don’t
think I should have to worry about that at school.”
Alexander responded by saying it is not only students who need to be alert,
but he needs to be alert about the safety concerns of students in order to
enhance campus safety.
“
We are all working to find out where areas of concern are,” he said. “We
did a walk through with ASI.
We want to know from you where you don’t feel comfortable on campus,
especially at different times of night. I think Take Back the Night is a wonderful
way to bring awareness to this issue.”
Alexander said he wants to find out where on campus students are concerned
with safety and for students to let him and his staff know to help make the
campus a safer place.
Other students listened and spoke out on the topic of violence against women
and what actions need to be taken as well.
“
Every two and a half seconds a women is raped,” said Megan Harris, senior
women studies major and Take Back the Night volunteer.
Throughout the hour-long meeting, gatherers addressed issues such as supporting
rape survivors, on-campus issues and how to carry out the struggle to stop
violence against women.
Observers listened attentively, with distressed looks and even teary eyes at
times as speakers like Evelynn Barragan-Edwards, director of Prevention and
Education for Sexual Assault Crisis Agency (SACA) spoke to the crowd.
Barragan-Edwards, a former CSULB student, said she was eager to come back to
campus and lucky to speak at Take Back the Night, especially during Sexual
Awareness month.
“
It’s unfortunate that we only have a month to talk about sexual assault,” she
said. “We need to talk about this all year long because it’s happening
all year long and that’s important to remember.”
She emphasized the importance of supporting survivors of sexual assault and
getting involved in grassroots movements to stop violence, such as the volunteers
from SACA and Feminist Organization for Reclaiming Consensus and Equality (FORCE)
that put on the event.
Speakers addressed other campus issues such as proper lighting and rape in
the dorms.
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