TO THE EDITOR:
When we saw the headline, “More sexual assaults reported in 2010,” in Oct. 5’s issue of The Daily Tar Heel, we were distressed that so many students on our campus have experienced the horror of sexual and interpersonal violence, and that 95 percent of cases go unreported.
Chances are, you probably know someone who has been personally affected, whether you are aware of it or not. So why don’t we hear about it? Fear of judgment, feelings of shame and victim blaming are just a few of the reasons why this issue is shrouded in silence — but it doesn’t have to be.
As members of Project Dinah, a group on campus working to raise awareness and empower survivors of sexual and interpersonal violence, we hope to contribute to the campus’ concern for this issue by hosting our annual “SpeakOut!” event on Wednesday from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Pit.
At this event, survivor testimonies will be read from our anonymous blog. In addition, there will be music, poetry and dance performances.
There will also be a keynote speaker and an open mic where survivors will have a chance to share their stories.
If you are a survivor, please consider sharing your story on our anonymous blog, speakoutunc.blogspot.com. We hope to see many of you at our event.
Let’s work together to break the silence surrounding sexual and interpersonal violence.
Emily Siar
Sophomore
Music, Women’s Studies
Jenna Schleien
Sophomore
Psychology
