This past Sunday, April 21, the Feminist Alliance Board held its annual “Take Back The Night” event. Take Back The Night aims to show support for survivors of sexual violence who may be struggling in silence. With April being Sexual Assault Awareness Month, this was a perfect time to host an event that offered a space for those who have suffered.
During the week leading up to the event, members of the Feminist Alliance Board tabled in Cotter Union, also known as the “Spa,” from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on three different days, handing out merchandise and explaining the nature of Take Back the Night to those interested. Then, on Friday at 7 p.m., students were encouraged to help “purple out” the Spa, purple being an awareness color for domestic violence and sexual assault.
After days of preparation, the big day finally arrived. The event began at 6 p.m., and students gathered in the purpled-out Spa. To start off the night, board members handed out merchandise and then provided attendees with materials to begin writing letters of support for survivors. Attendees then did a march around campus, hanging the letters where they felt they best fit.
At 6:30 p.m., everyone met up in Diamond 122 for an interactive workshop with Julia Houska, the Staff Counselor of Colby’s Counseling Services. The goal of this workshop was to educate students on how to better support peers and friends who have survived any form of sexual violence or harassment. After the hour-long session, attendees headed over to Mary Low Coffee House at 8 p.m. for a film screening along with snacks and drinks.
The primary planners behind this incredibly important event were Feminist Alliance Board members Lila Somvanshi ’26 and Katie Masetti ’26, who had been preparing for this weeks in advance. In addition to their amazing leadership, many others helped organize Take Back the Night.
“Emily Schusterbauer, Colby’s Title IX Coordinator, and the leaders of the Womxn of Color Alliance have been very helpful throughout the process,” Somvanshi said. “Two weeks ago we started hanging posters [for this event] throughout campus and we have been working hard with the Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Department, Campus Life, and Student Government Association to promote this event.” Somvanshi added that she and Masetti are “incredibly grateful for the staff and faculty at Colby who have made [this] process seamless.”
Even though this Take Back The Night was successful, it certainly looked a bit different than last year’s.
“Usually, Take Back The Night is an event where survivors share their stories,” Somvanshi said. “This year, we did not receive many submissions, so we had to pivot and think creatively about how we wanted the event to go. Perhaps narrative-sharing is not what campus needed this year, and that is okay. We wanted to respect that and also still do something to show survivors that we support them in their healing journeys.”
Despite not having first-person testimonies, other scheduled items still provided attendees with great opportunities to learn about sexual violence.
“If even just one person on this campus learned something from the workshop or felt supported by the other events, then we will be happy,” Somvanshi said.
Somvanshi and Masetti, both sophomores, were elected to the Feminist Alliance Board during the spring of their first year at Colby. Somvanshi explained that since she and Masetti were both fairly new to the school when elected, there have definitely been difficult moments along the way. However, the joy of doing something so impactful has superseded that.
“It has been challenging at times, but we are learning as we go! The experience has been so rewarding, and our members and attendees make it easy.”
Somvanshi is right about that. One attendee in particular, Olivia Ribaudo ’27, got involved with Take Back The Night after seeing posters around campus and receiving promotional emails from ColbyNow. Ribaudo could not emphasize enough how crucial it was to have an event like this on our campus.
“It is so important that Colby has been hosting this event for so long and continues to do so, so that members of the Colby community feel heard and supported on campus,” Ribaudo said. “This night was an indispensable opportunity for survivors to safely and comfortably share their stories and for awareness to be spread about their healing journeys.”
In regards to the significance of having resources like this on campus, Somvanshi and Masetti shared a very similar sentiment to Ribaudo.
“We cannot understate how important it is,” Somvanshi said. “That is why individuals at Colby like Emily Schusterbauer are so invaluable. Sexual violence is devastatingly prevalent on college campuses, so it is imperative that we openly address the issue and make it known that if you are a survivor, you are not alone.”
Given all the planning and hard work that went into this event, survivors certainly had a wave of support behind them this past weekend.
Please keep in mind that if you have experienced any form of sexual harassment or violence, you do not need to struggle in silence. Feel free to reach out to trusted adults, such as Emily Schusterbauer; Kate Smanik, the Dean of Religious and Spiritual Life; Kevin Murray, the Director of Student Access and Disability Services; or Colby Counseling Services if you need help. Nobody deserves to suffer alone.
~ Amelia Hanscom `27
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