Take Back the Night
In 1971, the New York Radical Feminists hosted the first-ever rape speak-out. A few years later, one of the first “Take Back the Night” marches was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1975. UMBC held their first TBTN in the early 2000s, and the Women’s, Gender, and Equity Center hosts this annual event each April as part of Sexual Assault Awareness month.
Take Back the Night at UMBC is a night of activism, healing, and solidarity. The evening begins with a campus resource fair. The speak-out creates space for survivors to share their stories to raise awareness of how sexual violence has impacted the UMBC community. Then, all who are attending the event join us for a march across campus, and the evening ends with “craftivism” activities and time for community-building.
Anyone interested in volunteering to help with any part of the event is encouraged to go to the Women’s, Gender, and Equity Center myUMBC page for more information.
The Clothesline Project
The Clothesline Project was started in 1990 in Hyannis, MA. Originally, the organizers decided to create a clothesline because of the history of women in close-knit neighborhoods exchanging information over backyard fences while hanging laundry out to dry. The first display had 31 shirts created by survivors.
The shirts on display at UMBC have been created by students, faculty, and staff survivors over the years. The project is displayed twice per year, once in April as part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and once in October as part of Intimate Partner Violence Awareness Month.
The display serves as testimony of the experiences of survivors of gender-based violence on campus, and offers an opportunity for healing and raising awareness.
Start By Believing
Start By Believing is a international campaign designed to transform the way we respond to sexual assault, domestic violence, and stalking.
In collaboration with the Division of Institutional Equity and UMBC Campus Police, this interactive workshop is designed for faculty and staff who may be the first person a survivor confides in. The workshop will review the research on the importance of a trauma-informed first response, offer practical strategies (and scenarios to practice) what to say and how to respond in a supportive way, and build confidence and understanding of UMBC specific resources and supports.
Offered several times per year, this workshop is also available by request, and we can tailor it to your specific team or department. If you have questions, please email us at advocacy@umbc.edu.
Let’s work together to create a culture of support and safety at UMBC.