Students spread awareness
The severity and weight of sexual assault and domestic violence sinks in as students, faculty and staff gather in a moment of silence at the annual Take Back the Night event at Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK).
The illuminous candlelight vigil helped shed light on the unfortunate reality of sexual assault and domestic violence.
According to dea.gov every 73 seconds an American is sexually assaulted.
Take Back the Night is an international event with a mission to end all forms of sexual, relationship and domestic violence.
Guest speakers from Title IX, the University Police Department and The Purple Door provided the public with information regarding the resources they have available for victims of sexual assault.
Student Health and Wellness educated and reminded the community on what they are fighting for, as they stood in solidarity with survivors.
After stating statistics and sharing poems, the floor was opened to those willing to speak about their experiences.
A staff member shared her experience and spoke about intuition.
JoElda Castillo-Alaniz, the Assistant Dean of Students with the Student Health and Wellness, helped organize Take Back the Night.
“I think my story is always trust your instincts. When you know something is not right, know and be aware of your surroundings…Think of what you could do next, and always know your resources and where they are at for you,” Castillo-Alaniz said.
Renee Weiss, Director of Counseling Services, and her staff stressed the importance of reaching out for help and encouraged everyone to download the TELLUS app.
“Tonight, we saw the support that everybody gave each other, and it also gave others courage to stand up to tell their stories, their truth,” Weiss said.
After hearing the attendees share their stories, many attempted to maintain their composure by fighting back tears.
Whether it was a staff member, a friend, or a stranger, the room felt dark yet safe.
Janessa Rivera is the Education Director of Alpha Sigma Alpha.
She attended the event with her sorority to create more awareness within their organization.
“Coming to this event has truly opened my eyes to all the various things people may go through that no one knows about,” Rivera said.
“At the end of it, I felt a sense of hope like everything was going to be ‘OK’ because we are slowly growing together in order to reduce the possibility of a future free of sexual violence.”
A community comes together in support of sexual assault survivors to help Take Back the Night.
Texas A&M University Kingsvie continues to show their support with more events for student to come together.
For more information on future evets surrounding mental health around campus stay up to date with the TAMUK website or call the Health and Wellness Center at
(361) 593-3991
