By By Candice McFadyen

In honor of Domestic Violence Prevention Month, Womyn of Action and Students Against Injustice held their second annual Take Back the Night event, a sexual assault speak-out, on Thursday.

Take Back the Night began during the 1960s and 1970s, eras marked by the second wave of feminism, as a way to raise consciousness regarding injustice against women. The events joined women together to demand every member of society be respected and protected.

The University’s Take Back the Night began last year in an effort to make those in the campus community who have been sexually assaulted feel as if they have a support group, Jessie Glasscock, a junior English major and member of both SAI and Womyn of Action, explained.

“Getting a group together to talk about it [sexual assault] helps victims feel like they’re not alone,” she said.

The event featured a mini gallery with art crafted by women, as well as performances by female vocalists Cynthia Ann, of Long Island and Jenny Owen Youngs, of Pennsylvania, and poet “Desiree,” a current University student.

Following the performances, two “circles of self identification” were formed, one consisting of women and the other consisting of men.

Both groups discussed sexual assault and their opinions on campus safety.

Glasscock said that although most documented assaults occur to women, a high amount of male assualts go unreported.

The five to 10 men who participated in the event learned how to be better allies to sexual assault victims and even addressed sexual assault against males, Glasscock said.

“The night involves different types of women and men, a wide variety of people in a comfortable environment,” Beth Puma, a senior education major, said.

The event concluded with a walk around the campus with participants singing.

“It’s a huge sense of solidarity amongst the female community at Hofstra,” Caitlin Abber, a senior, said. “You realize that you are not alone in the experience. It’s powerful and beautiful.”

Glasscock added that the groups are already planning next year’s event.