By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS
lmunnings@tribunemedia.net
SURVIVORS of sexual violence will unite today to raise awareness about the “epidemic” of sexual violence in The Bahamas.
Rape crisis advocate Cindy Godet, who is also a certified child sexual abuse prevention advocate, said the event “Take Back The Night” will allow survivors to come together and share their truth.
The partners of the event include The American Corner, Silent No More, The Empowerment Group and RISE Bahamas.
According to Ms Godet, this event is an international initiative, which gets its name from the fear women in society feel about going out, but particularly at night.
“They fear being sexually assaulted or harassed by men,” she said yesterday. “And, of course, we know that sexual assault happens daily in this country.”
The event is geared towards survivors of all forms of sexual violence and will serve as a “sense of community” and “safe space” for all.
“I am a survivor of sexual violence as a child and as an adult. My two partner advocates for this event are survivors as well. We want to give other survivors a place to be seen, feel heard and believed, and to know they’re not alone,” said Ms Godet.
“We want to continually sound the alarm and raise awareness about the epidemic of sexual violence in our country. We can no longer bury our heads in the sand and pretend as if lives aren’t being destroyed every day in our communities because of sexual predators and sexual offenders.”
She also encouraged supporters of survivors to attend the event in solidarity, adding that this event will develop a pattern for similar events as survivors are deserving of this opportunity.
Take Back the Night starts at 6.30 tonight at the American Corner of the Harry C Moore Library at University of The Bahamas.
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