Each testimony of sexual violence was stark, brutally honest and stomach-turning.
“I remember throwing the clothes in the garbage can that night in a panic, feeling worthless,” one Franklin College student wrote.
“He walked me home like someone who cared, then proved to me that he didn’t care one bit,” another student’s account said.
“At a fraternity house, I was getting ready to leave when some people pressured me to stay. I was drugged and raped,” a third wrote.
Displays had been set up inside the Napolitan Student Center on Franklin College’s campus, each with a description of an act of violence experienced by a student, faculty member or staff member. Next to their words hung a dress, a swimsuit, a pair of sweatpants, a blouse, representing the outfits they were wearing at the time of their assault.
“We recognize that there are people who will be triggered by this content, who see these outfits knowing what each stands for,” said Sara Kinder, director of counseling at Franklin College. “But we also recognize that our overall goal for this is awareness — awareness to combat rape culture, that what someone’s wearing doesn’t matter, but also to give people a voice.”
The “What Were You Wearing?” exhibit serves as a lead-in for the college’s recognition of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, the centerpiece of which will be the annual Take Back the Night event on April 14.
Organizers, which include the college, ASSIST Indiana and Turning Point Domestic Services, aim to raise awareness of an issue that impacts the entire community. Too often, that violence stays hidden in the dark.
“It’s not something that’s always talked about openly in a way that feels safe to acknowledge that these things are happening and seek services for them,” Kinder said. “We want to acknowledge that this exists: It’s not specific to Franklin. These things exist everywhere, in college campuses and communities everywhere. If we’re talking about it, we can make people aware of what this looks like.”
Take Back the Night is an international campaign aimed at ending sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual abuse and all other forms of sexual violence. Though the rallies have been ongoing since the 1960s, this will be the fourth such event conducted in Franklin, and the first held since 2019.
Attendees will meet inside the college’s student center atrium for a rally, with speakers including Johnson County Sheriff Duane Burgess, before marching from campus to the Johnson County courthouse.
Along the way, they will have chants and slogans to attract attention.
“It’s an angry march. This is to end violence and to make people aware. So it’s a loud march,” Kinder said.
Once the procession reaches the east side of the courthouse, speakers and representatives from area groups that work to end sexual and domestic violence will address the crowd.
Resources educating people about the signs of abuse and how to help people in their lives will be available. Local businesses, such as the Willard and Norma Jean’s, will provide refreshments.
Organizers make it clear that everyone is welcome to take part in the event.
“We’ve been talking about having community involvement for years. It just takes time to normalize it as an event that people can come too, because there is such a stigma around this topic, so a lot of people might not think this is for them, or they’re not ready to acknowledge this has happened to them,” Kinder said.
According to the Department of Justice, another American is sexually assaulted every 68 seconds.
A survey by the National Institute of Justice and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 1 of every 6 women in the United States has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime, while about 3% of men — or 1 in 33 — have experienced an attempted or completed rape in their lifetime.
This is a problem affecting everyone, which makes Take Back the Night such a vital event for the county.
“It’s about awareness, it’s about outreach, it’s about making the connection. If you don’t talk about it, nobody knows. So you have to bring it forward,” said Michele Lee, community service director for Turning Point Domestic Violence Services.
Turning Point is one of the partners for this year’s event. The organization has been working to prevent and eliminate domestic and dating violence since its formation in 1975. The organization provides five counties, including Johnson, with services such as emergency residential shelter, case management, transitional housing, legal advocacy and safe dating education for schools.
Case workers for the group can help people create a personal safety plan: discussing the instances of abuse, and figuring out a safe way to leave that relationship.
A 24-hour helpline is available to help people in crisis any time of the day.
Despite their longtime presence in the region, Turning Point’s work tends to be done silently.
“I call ourselves the ‘silent leaders’ in domestic abuse and silent assault,” Lee said. “We’re here, we’re present, but we can’t advertise where we’re at.”
Still, Turning Point has found innovative ways to reach people who might need their services in the community. The most visible is Moby — a bright purple van used for the organization’s outreach efforts.
“It started years ago as a way to transport our mobile set-up for events we go to,” said Stephen Dishinger, director of prevention. “We tried to think of ways to incorporate prevention in ways that we haven’t done it before.”
With photo opportunities painted on the side and quick-hit information on dating and domestic violence prevention, Moby will be on site at Take Back the Night.
The van is one way to give conversations about the issue momentum.
“No matter the age, no matter the person, it has to start somewhere,” Lee said.
Joining Franklin College and Turning Point is ASSIST Indiana, a nonprofit which provides resources, support and counseling to immediate victims of sexual violence in addition to those close to victims who have been impacted by it.
Starting the conversation about sexual violence is the purpose of the “What Were You Wearing?” event. Organizers at the Franklin College counseling center took their inspiration from similar exhibits at college campuses around the country, which push the realities of sexual violence to the forefront.
“Once you learn about it and once you see the narratives, it’s really a haunting exhibit that sticks with you,” Kinder said.
The counseling center created an online document, and sent out an anonymous link that would allow people to submit their own experiences of sexual violence if they were willing to. People were asked to share their narrative, and specifically to tell what they were wearing at the time — referencing the victim-blaming that often accompanies people reporting rape or assault.
Students, faculty and staff responded quickly; 15 people had shared within 24 hours of the email link going out.
“People that were ready to tell their narrative wanted to get their narrative out,” said Annie Kruse, a Franklin College counselor.
The exhibit is on display at the college through today, so it won’t be up during Take Back the Night. But organizers see both as a pointed way to shed light on the issue.
“(Take Back the Night) is a powerful event, but it’s also heartbreaking. It’s terrible there has to be this event,” Kruse said.
If you go
Take Back the Night
What: A community demonstration, rally and speak-out to bring awareness to the problem of sexual, domestic and physical violence.
When: 4 p.m. April 14
Who: Organized by Franklin College, Turning Point Domestic Violence Services and ASSIST Indiana.
Where: The rally starts at the atrium of the Napolitan Student Center on Franklin College’s campus, before marching to the county courthouse and back to Franklin College.
Who can participate: The event is open to the public.
How to prevent violence in the community
- Model healthy relationships for youth.
- Say something if you see something.
- Challenge friends and family on disrespectful comments.
- Support equality in the workplace.
- Share power with the people in your life.
At a glance
Turning Point Domestic Violence Services
What: A nonprofit organization working towards the prevention and elimination of domestic and dating violence.
Where: Johnson County, as well as Bartholomew, Brown, Jackson and Shelby counties
Who they serve: Individuals of all sex, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity, nationality, range of abilities, financial means and/or education levels.
Services: Emergency residential shelter, transitional housing, legal services, sexual assault resources and referrals, education and training.
How to get help: A 24-hour helpline is available at 1-800-221-6311. Those in Johnson County can also call (812)657-1647 or (812) 657-4042.
Information: TurningPointDV.org
