An attentive audience with many tearful members listened to personal accounts about experiences with sexual assault Tuesday night at Speak Out, an event designed to demonstrate how sexual assault affects Dartmouth.
The presenters shared intimate details of their own experiences or the experiences of others who chose to have someone else present for them. Everyone involved in the program dressed in apparel with Dartmouth logos in an effort to show that the issue is not an attack on Dartmouth, but one that affects the entire campus community, event co-organizer Aya Caldwell '06 said.
This year, four male students participated in the event, compared to three male speakers last year. Among the male speakers was Paul Mozur '06 who shared his view on men's responsibility in sexual assault.
"I don't want to vilify or guilt men, but I'm pretty sure every single male in this room is capable of rape," he said. "I'm capable ... And it is incredible, but in an instant of weakness, of pathetic longing, with a single action predicated upon empty horniness, our entire moral system can go out the window."
Students who chose to be a part of the program had their own reasons for participating, but most centered around the idea of showing how sexual assault affects campus community members, whether someone is personally victimized or affected by the victimization of someone else.
Former coordinator of the Sexual Abuse Awareness program Abby Tassel harshly criticized the administration's attitudes and actions regarding sexual assault that she noticed during her tenure at the College. Tassel said the College was apathetic about the issue and accused survivors of exaggerating or fabricating their stories. Those who came forward were asked what they were wearing, how much they drank, and what they were doing alone with the accused assaulter at the time in question, she said.
Tassel thanked Dartmouth community members who she was able to help during her time at the College.
"I learned what being a survivor really means from you," she said. "Thank you. I will never forget the gift of that lesson."
Brittany Crosby '09 shared her poem, "Saturday," which she wrote about a woman who was raped by her uncle when she was a child.
"Her father's brother -- a source of protection/ would like to take her to the park today/ The uncle is kind, the uncle insists/ Her father sees nothing wrong with this/ ... The open palms become closed fists 'cause/ Everything's better when it ends with a kiss/ As he takes the baby girl away," she said as she read her poem aloud.
Learning about the situation described in the poem Crosby said "was shocking."
"It's not something that you can just tell by looking at her -- she's dong really well for herself. You never know who it affects."
Speaking about her own experiences, Soralee Ayvar '07 presented "The Hands in My Life: Thoughts on Sexual Abuse by Someone Who's Been There," a compilation of poems and prose describing her various experiences with sexual assault. Within the work, Soralee reflects on her response to rape, the issue of acquaintance rape, the strength to overcome it all and the tendency to self-blame. Emotions of sadness, anger, frustration, powerlessness and strength were all described in the literature.
"Whenever I remember those hands/ touching, feeling, grabbing/ heart of steel/ wild, maniacal, me mechanical/ inside shaken, shaking, trembling, convulsions," she read.
Following that segment, Ayvar expressed her frustration about the situation it described.
"Would you believe that last one wasn't rape?," she said. "Don't get me wrong, it sure as hell was sexual assault. But it wasn't 'rape.' Why? 'Cause he didn't stick his dick in me. So of course, we didn't do anything. Right?"
After all the speakers had presented, the three organizers, including Speak Out founder Chelsea Voake '06, left the audiences with their personal accounts of sexual assault. In tears, Voake shared with the audience her love of Dartmouth, but her struggle with the apathy shown toward sexual assault and sexual assault victims.
"I cannot stand that this place that I love so dearly at once causes myself and the people I am closest to so much pain," Voake said.
Closing the presentation was a song entitled "Gratitude" performed by the Rockapellas, narrating an account of sexual assault.
Correction Appended
For the record: An article on Wednesday ("Speak Out addresses sexual assault at College," March 1) incorrectly stated that only one male had participated in Speak Out last year when in fact three males had attended.
