Discussion List for campus-based and allied personnel working to end gender-based violence on campus.

I am the director of a small women's center at a four-year 
private liberal arts college in central Pennsylvania. We 
have been sponsoring a Take Back the Night program for 14 
years, and it is a very popular event on campus. Our 
counseling and health services staff members have recently 
expressed concern, however, about the testimonials portion 
of  the program. They feel it is too depressing and may 
even be harmful to sexual assault and abuse victims who 
have not disclosed their experiences before or who are not 
well into the healing process.

I would appreciate getting information on how other 
schools handle the testimonials or open-mic portion of 
TBTN. We currently ask students to check in at a table 
staffed by counselors before they speak, and our 
counseling services people also have open hours the week 
prior to the event to talk with students who are 
considering speaking(very few student take advantage of 
this opportunity, however). Is there something else you do 
at your school that you have found helpful in making the 
testimonials portion of the program empowering for both 
speakers and the audience?

Thanks for any advice you can offer.

Regards,

Judy Pehrson




Judy Pehrson
Director
The Women's Center
Franklin & Marshall College
P.O. Box 3003
Lancaster, PA 17604-3003
717-291-3956