TAKE BACK THE NIGHT: Sexual assault victims speak out
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Participants walk around the Racine County Courthouse for a march from the library to the Olympia Brown Unitarian Universalist Church for Take Back the Night. Take Back the Night was held Thursday, April 22, 2010 by Sexual Assault Services in partnership with Olympia Brown Unitarian Universalist Church and the Racine Public Library. Scott Anderson scott.anderson@journaltimes.com Buy this Photo at jtreprints.comRACINE - Lika Saliscente doesn't like talking about her experience as a victim because she doesn't want to be pitied. But she came forward Thursday because she wanted to help others.
Her voice shook as she shared about how she was physically abused by her father and raped by a high school classmate who followed her home.
"There is a way to be able to stand up again," she told the survivors.
Now Saliscente, 41, of Racine, is the founder of Youth Voice Initiative, a Racine-based lobbying organization for children's rights.
"Not only can I stand up, but I can help other people stand up," she said. "And sometimes being the voice for other people can be very therapeutic for your own purposes."
Sexual assault survivors spoke up Thursday night so that others may not be victims and other survivors may have a voice at the seventh annual Take Back the Night event organized by Sexual Assault Services, a Lutheran Social Services program. More than 70 people were at the Speak Out at the Racine Public Library, 75 Seventh St. Holding candles and shielding the flickering flames against the wind, the group walked over to Olympia Brown Unitarian Universalist Church, 625 College Ave., as part of its effort to raise awareness.
"It's a crime that happens far too often in the community," said Terri DeWalt, SAS program director. "People are not aware to the degree which it occurs. It's not always something so easily talked about in our society and obviously that's very harmful for the victims and families."
One in three women and one in 12 men will be a victim of sexual violence at some point in their lives, DeWalt said.
In 2009, she said SAS helped 80 sexual assault victims at hospitals, counseled close to 300 and served 296 families and victims at its Child Advocacy Center.
It's hard to admit to even yourself that you had been raped, said Michael Chaney, 28, of Racine.
But the reason he shares about how he was raped by his partner of seven years is to raise awareness that sexual violence does happen to men and not just in heterosexual relationships. He said he wanted to get the message out especially to the gay and lesbian community that sexual violence does occur in homosexual relationships and needs to be addressed.
The long-reaching effects of sexual violence is heartbreaking, said Sammy Rangel, program coordinator of SAFE Streets.
Pointing to the Stars of Courage representing sexual violence survivors served by SAS over the years, he said each star represents not one victim but a whole ripple effect of people whose lives are touched by one act of violence.
Speaking as a survivor himself, Rangel challenged the men to take responsibility and protect women and children, often the victims, and for the community to stand up against violence and injustice.
How To Get Help:
Call the 24-hour hotline at (262) 637-7233 or Sexual Assault Services at (262) 619-1634 if you live east of the Interstate and (262) 763-6226 ext. 31 if you live on the west end of the county.
Her voice shook as she shared about how she was physically abused by her father and raped by a high school classmate who followed her home.
"There is a way to be able to stand up again," she told the survivors.
Now Saliscente, 41, of Racine, is the founder of Youth Voice Initiative, a Racine-based lobbying organization for children's rights.
"Not only can I stand up, but I can help other people stand up," she said. "And sometimes being the voice for other people can be very therapeutic for your own purposes."
Sexual assault survivors spoke up Thursday night so that others may not be victims and other survivors may have a voice at the seventh annual Take Back the Night event organized by Sexual Assault Services, a Lutheran Social Services program. More than 70 people were at the Speak Out at the Racine Public Library, 75 Seventh St. Holding candles and shielding the flickering flames against the wind, the group walked over to Olympia Brown Unitarian Universalist Church, 625 College Ave., as part of its effort to raise awareness.
"It's a crime that happens far too often in the community," said Terri DeWalt, SAS program director. "People are not aware to the degree which it occurs. It's not always something so easily talked about in our society and obviously that's very harmful for the victims and families."
One in three women and one in 12 men will be a victim of sexual violence at some point in their lives, DeWalt said.
In 2009, she said SAS helped 80 sexual assault victims at hospitals, counseled close to 300 and served 296 families and victims at its Child Advocacy Center.
It's hard to admit to even yourself that you had been raped, said Michael Chaney, 28, of Racine.
But the reason he shares about how he was raped by his partner of seven years is to raise awareness that sexual violence does happen to men and not just in heterosexual relationships. He said he wanted to get the message out especially to the gay and lesbian community that sexual violence does occur in homosexual relationships and needs to be addressed.
The long-reaching effects of sexual violence is heartbreaking, said Sammy Rangel, program coordinator of SAFE Streets.
Pointing to the Stars of Courage representing sexual violence survivors served by SAS over the years, he said each star represents not one victim but a whole ripple effect of people whose lives are touched by one act of violence.
Speaking as a survivor himself, Rangel challenged the men to take responsibility and protect women and children, often the victims, and for the community to stand up against violence and injustice.
How To Get Help:
Call the 24-hour hotline at (262) 637-7233 or Sexual Assault Services at (262) 619-1634 if you live east of the Interstate and (262) 763-6226 ext. 31 if you live on the west end of the county.
Posted in Local on Friday, April 23, 2010 12:00 am Updated: 5:43 pm. | Tags: Lika Saliscente, Youth Voice Initiative, Take Back The Night, Sexual Assault Services, Lutheran Social Services, Terri Dewalt, Olympia Brown Unitarian Universalist Church, Child Advocacy Center, Michael Chaney, Sammy Rangel
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