James Madison University - Bluestone Schoolmaam Yearbook (Harrisonburg, VA)

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TH mm BREAKING SILENCE a StoD the late. the h( Stop violence. Stop the silence. HELP? Call the CARE Hotline x6411 24 hours a day, seven days o week. gong was struck. Another woman had been battered. Fifteen seconds later, it sounded again. Statistics said one woman was battered every fifteen seconds in the United States. A whistle was blown, indicating another woman had been raped. Every minute, 1.7 wcimen were reportedly raped in America. A shrill bell rang out, indicating a woman had been killed. Every day in the United States, three to tour women were killed by their partners. The topics ot child abuse, incest, sexual assault, domestic violence and victimization based on sexual orientation were addressed during the eye-opening, two-day Clothesline Project. The Project was a collection of t-shirts bearing witness to violence against women and men and cut to the core of every vi sitor ' s heart. Held March 30 and 31 from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. in Transitions, the Clothesline Project was made up ot over 500 shirts. Sponsored by the First Year Involvement Center (af- filiated with the Office of Residence Lite), Take Back the Night Coalition and Campus Assault ResponsE, the concept was based on the AIDS quilt. For the previous eleven years, the university had sponsored the event, adding 30 to 40 new shirts each year. Due to the nature ot the event, participants were asked to observe silence. Tables with pamphlets on sexual abuse were scattered throughout the large room with several strategically placed tissue boxes. Visitors often heard a gong sound, a whistle blown or a bell ringing to remind them ot the startling statistics. Ciraduate assistant to FYI Haley Gouldin said, A lot ot people don ' t know the stats. It ' s a quiet event and when the gong comes through, it ' s more moving. Most viaims were women and under the age of six when their abuse occurred. A frequent theme of many ot the shirts was the desire to avoid discussing their past trauma. Gouldin said, Once you read one shirt, it ' s hard to stop. Motivated by the theme Break the Silence, victims raised awareness of abuse and reduced many visitors to tears with their vivid use of powerful emotions. Alumnus Jackson Baynard rose from his chair, mount- ed the steps and began to share his story with an attentive audience. He recounted his story ot male victimization at the hands of a sixth-grade teacher, describing in raw detail the story of his abuser, what went on and how justice was upheld. Baynard said, There is male sexual abuse between one in four and one in sLx males. . .survivors of sexiuil abuse need your support. Beth Chaney spoke after Baynard and describei.1 the abusive man who had become her husband. She stood by her man for years, finally reiilizing, No matter what I did, Donald wou UJ 28 SERENADING THE AUDI- ENCE, graduote Mia Jones U, A 1- ,-1 i i 1 r 1 1 1 1 performs a sonq she wrote n t change. After years of abuse, Chaney left her husband br Take Bock the Nighi. Many singers dedicated their AKiieia Narcrcm CktwLatte V mJnowtr f ! Ti by Brett Lemon tUje

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READING WITH SOME children, a Dominica trip member focuses on cul- tural understanding. The international trip to the West Indies worked on community development. • Photo courtesy of ASB. AS POTENTIAL ASB participants wait in line hours, they were able to compare the c each trip to make their final decision, Md ASB trips were affordable and fundrais helped lower costs. • Photo by Lindsey f PASSING TIME BEFORE ASB signup students catch up on some homework. , were at night, so many students skippa to sit in Wilson Hall and ensure they c first hoice trip. • Photo by Lindsey f CURLED UP IN her sleeping bag, aJ ASB hopeful uses time before signups to ralax and read o novel. Some students woitedfilmost 24 hours. • Photo by Lindsey Barnett. myself... it taught me that love for your family conquers all and that when you fall there is always someone willing to help you back up. Pain:icipants also learned valuable lessons from the people with whom they worked. Working with the patients at Project Lazarus made me grateful for how amazing my life truly is, and taught me to never take life for granted said Schudda. The fire in those patients ' hearts was one of the most remarkable things I have ever witnessed. They knew they were dying; yet they stLU knew how precious life was, and never let a day go by that they didn ' t enjoy themselves. It was just an incredible and inspiring thing to witness. For spring break, 308 students dared to make a difference. Senior Rebecca Berry man of the St. Louis trip said, JMU ' s Alternative Spring Break program is one of the best things that this school has to offer. ..the impact it has made on my life will stay with me forever. You ' d be amazed what one week can do! ASB was all about friendships and relationships. It was about sharing and bonding. It was about mak ing a difference. • 2004 Alternative »lnternatJonal Spring Breal Long Distance Destinations Dominica, West Indies Jamaica »Domestic Bahamas Atlanta, Ga. Dominican Republic Boca Granda, Flo. Eureka, Calif. Chicago, III, Brownsville, Texas Columbus, Ohio Islomorado, Fla. Detriot, Mich. Hillsboro, W. Va. .-:-, ffi ' lCl ' 9d Jacl sonville, FL Boston, Mass. Kansas City, Mo. Guatemala Nevj Orleans, La. Baltimore, Md. Okefenokee Notional Belmont N. C. Wildlife Refuge, Ga. Philadelphia, Pa. St Louis, Mo. Sovonnoh, Go. Winter Pork, Fla, Ooxoco, Mexico kansas city z Q 27

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and got her degree. She began working with individuals in abu- sive relationships. Chancy said, Never think that what you do doesn ' t affect someone else. I ' m very fortunate that my life has been able to be used. Take Back the Night began on March 30, 2004 at 5 p.m. and continued into the early morning on March 31. It was an eve- ning dedicated to ending violence against both women and men, and the event gave survivors and friends a forum to discuss their experiences. The program included speakers, musical guests, a speak-out, candle-lighting ceremony and a march. Many said their wounds would never heal, but they spoke out and praised other survivors in order to raise awareness and to show support for those affected by sexual abuse. Speakers Baynard and Chaney were followed with aas from talented artists who dedicated their performances to ending sexual violence against women. Graduate Dante Ricci sang and wooed the crowd with soothing acoustic sounds and the lyrics, I will be here for you, somewhere in the night, I ' ll shine a light for you. A group of students presented Songs of Sexism, which revealed the sexually offensive lyrics found in popular songs. The group explored such songs as, Date Rape by Sublime and, Bloody Valentine by Good Charlotte. The lyrics of these songs were not only offensive to women, but also sent the mes- sage to young males that sexual assault, violence and disrespect towards women could be tolerated and was perhaps encouraged. Take Back the Night also featured speeches by representa- tives from the organizations available for women within the university and the Harrisonburg community. First, Jen McGack- ey, a member of the Citizens Against Sexual Assault (CASA), a Harrisonburg resource center, spoke about the services the center offered women in need. CASA ' s services included weekly support groups, three grad student counselors, crisis intervention and individual counseling. Christine Spellman represented the Women ' s Resource Center, a service provided by the university. The center offered women information con- cerning women ' s rights and sexual violence. Graduate Melissa Diffley, an intern at First Step, then spoke about her work. First Step was a resource center in Harrisonburg committed to fighting domestic violence. Diffley informed the audience, One in three adult women experience domestic violence. Domestic violence is an extremely important issue that we need to tackle in Harrisonburg. Diffley was followed by senior Erin Curley, a member of CARE, which manned a university-wide assault helpline. The service had a 24-hour pager voicemail system that students could call, whether they were an assault victim or knew someone victimized by sexual violence. Graduate Mike Goodman concluded the series of organizational speakers by introducing his organization. One in Four, a group of male students dedicated to fighting sexual assault by presenting programs to groups of male students. These programs informed young men about the dangers and consequences of sexual assault and violence. In the late hours of the night, the most important and emotional part of Take Back the Night took place. A speak-out gave people in the audience a chance to tell their personal stories about sexual violence, thus providing a forum where the healing process could begin. It not only gave the speak- ers a sense of power and strength, but also gave silent victims in the audience the hope that they too could overcome their victimization. This portion of the program allowed participants to sense the magnitude of sexual violence and its prevalence at the university and within the community. A candle-lit march out of Grafton-Stovall auditorium ended the five-hour-long event that had provided viaims of sexual assault a means of, breaking the silence and making their voices heard. • USING T-SHIRTS TO publi- cize the Clothesline Project, volunteers of the event did all they could to gel the word out. The Women ' s Resource Center did most of the adver- tising for the Project. • Photo by Brett Lemon. u, I Once you read one shirt, its hard to stop.W QyaAuate AaiiioMt, Haley Qouidm. n z CD 29