‘TAKE BACK THE NIGHT’ MARCHES FOR AWARENESS

Anyone can be a victim or perpetrator of sexual violence, but states, communities, and movements are aiming to change that.

On April 25, ASG (Associated Student Government) hosted the annual Take Back The Night event on the MHCC track in recognition of April being sexual assault awareness month, and similar rallies held nationwide.

Chris Gorsek, MHCC instructor and four-term state representative in Salem, spoke at the event. He said that in his time as a police officer he saw a lot of sexual assault crimes before he retired in 1987, and that hasn’t changed much over the years.

He suggested some ways that everyone can do their part to help, include calling 911 if they see a crime taking place, calling out people who are crossing other individual’s personal boundaries in social situations, and remembering that “no” means no. 

Gorsek also reminded everyone that even though we live in a place that focuses on stranger danger, half of homicide victims know their killer, and many more sexual assault victims know the person who assaults them. “Nice guys” have the power to commit crimes, too, he noted.

It’s important to be upfront about limitations and boundaries and avoid secluded places when alone, said Gorsek. He said individuals need to be aware of their surroundings, always, and not to be glued to their phone screens when walking around on campus at night.

(He added that MHCC, specifically, has had limited sexual assault incidents reported over the years.)

However: Cherilyn Nederhiser, public safety officer for Mt. Hood, made the point that even though percentages in data and surveys may be low sometimes, there’s the real issue of sexual assaults not being reported because victims fear how they’ll be treated by the justice system.

She encouraged everyone involved in a situation to tell someone they trust if they’ve experienced sexual assault or harassment.

NEW TOOLS IN FIGHT

Gorsek emphasized that sexual assault isn’t just about women being harassed and assaulted. It applies to persons of all genders. He also said it’s important to be supportive to sexual assault survivors and encourage them to seek out psychological help to cope with any trauma they experienced.

There’s significant Oregon state-level work being done around sexual assault prevention, Gorsek added. The first example is the Oregon Attorney General’s Sexual Assault Task Force (SATF). Formed in 1999, the task force’s stated goal is to “facilitate cross-discipline collaboration and cultivate victim-centered approaches to sexual assault primary prevention, victim advocacy, medical forensic care, criminal prosecution and sex offender management and treatment.”

The SATF includes students and staff from colleges and universities around the state. For more information, visit oregonsatf.org.

The other initiative is Senate Bill 576, or “Kaylee’s Law,” which Gorsek is sponsoring. Kaylee Sawyer was a Central Oregon Community College (COCC) student in Bend who was abducted, raped, and murdered in 2016 by a COCC campus safety officer. 

The goal of the bill is to make sure campus public safety officers are clearly identified as not being police officers, Gorsek said. It would limit their authority and – more to the point – make sure new hires are thoroughly vetted.

Following Gorsek’s speech, Fardwosa Duale, ASG campus safety and sustainability representative, invited everyone to walk a few laps on the track in honor of Take Back The Night – a national foundation and movement with a mission to end all forms of sexual violence.