While many students were eagerly anticipating the turnout of theAssociated Students Inc. elections last Wednesday, a group of womenand a few men stood on the residence hall lawn at 6 p.m. toparticipate in the third annual Take Back the Night march atSacramento State.

A small crowd of about 30 people arrived forthe march through campus, including two men and several studentsfrom Alpha Chi Omega, to show support for survivors of domesticviolence and sexual assault.

“We are a small but dedicatedgroup,” said Patricia Grady, Women’s Resource Centercoordinator.

Take Back the Night is an international rallyand march created for the purpose of unifying women, men andchildren in awareness of violence against women and families.

This is the third year that Sac State has heldthe event on campus, however, the first march occurred in SanFrancisco in 1978.

Jessica Heskin, Women’s Resource Centeradvocate and organizer of the event at Sac State, said that themarch is a call for action in our community to demonstrate thatviolence will not be tolerated in our community.

“It is a community protest regardingviolence against women,” Heskin said.

Heskin said the march is important toshow the campus community that people are not helpless when itcomes to this issue.

“Sexual violence and domestic violencemust be brought into the public arena as it is a problem thataffects us all,” Heskin said.

Tanisha Searle, a junior and women’sstudies major, said that this was the first year she hasparticipated at Sac State’s Take Back the Night march, butthat she has participated in the Sacramento rally for the past fouryears.

Searle said that she participates because sheis a survivor.

“I used to be a battered wife,”Searle said. “I’m here to get out the message thatwomen have other options, they don’t have to bebattered.”

Searle also said it’s empowering towomen and that an event like this promotes awareness.

“I think it definitely makes people moreaware that it’s out there, and brings it out of the closetsince it’s such a taboo topic,” Searle said.

Women’s studies majors weren’t theonly ones in attendance at this event &- a handful of men cameto show their support of the event including Sac State alumnus,Sean South.

“I attend the Take Back the Night marchat the capital, but I thought I should come out here and supportthe Women’s Resource Center here on campus, as well,”South said.

South said part of the reason for having themarch meet on the residence lawn is because the residence halls area “hot spot” for violence against women. Southalso said that it’s important for female residence to know ifsomething happened to them, there are people on and around campuswho are there to help.

“And also bring awareness that there isdanger on campus, even in your own room, which is kind of scary,but true,” South said.