Sexual assault watchdogs to ‘Take Back the Night’

A keynote speaker will use humor to get her message out about the evils
of sexual assault against women during the “Take Back the Night”
program Wednesday.

Gail Stern, a sexual aggression educator and comedian from suburban
Chicago, will speak at 6 p.m. in Warriner Hall’s Plachta Auditorium.

Her speech is one of many events scheduled for the evening. The
opening ceremony is a vigil honoring those who have been victims of
domestic violence and sexual assault, and will take place at 4:30 p.m.
at the Isabella County Building, 200 N. Main St.

Isabella County Prosecuting Attorney Larry Burdick will speak at the
ceremony.

“This is a commemoration ceremony for people who have been victims
of all different kinds of crimes,” said Stacey Wiley, victim rights
coordinator in the prosecutor’s office. “We are working with ‘Take Back
the Night’ to go from our ceremony to their march.”

The vigil will be followed by a march starting from the County
Building and ending at Warriner Hall’s Plachta Auditorium.

Marchers will chant slogans and carry posters speaking out against
sexual violence, said organizer Laura Bantle, Comstock Park junior and
part of the planning committee.

“We will not only be visible, but we will be heard,” Bantle said.

After Stern’s speech, there will be an open discussion at 7 p.m. in
Warriner Mall.

“This is a time when people can share their story,” Bantle said.
“The discussion usually starts up naturally, we do not push it.”

The event is sponsored by the Sexual Assault Peer Advocates, the
Student Budget Allocation Committee and Women’s Aid, among others.

There also are other events around campus marking April as Sexual
Assault Awareness month.

“We would like to raise more awareness,” Bantle said. “It is a major
issue both for people in the community and on campus.”