Fresno State Athletic Director Jim Bartko and guest speaker Tim Mousseau spoke to students about an experience most choose to keep a secret — sexual assault.

The talk titled “Retaking Our Story: Re-Framing The Sexual Assault Conversation,” was an alternative approach in talking about sexual assault and the way we talk about sex.

“[It’s] a different way of framing and approaching the conversation,” Mousseau said. “Changing how we think about it and hopefully then providing some tools so that people can actually make an impact on it.”

The event was an opportunity to expose the reality of sexual assault through their storytelling as survivors. The audience witnessed the highs and lows of what it takes to regain your strength after assault.

The pair hoped more people became advocates in the issue that has left many silenced.

“If I can affect one person or two people it means a lot,” Bartko said.

Bartko said that he hopes events like these can motivate other victims to speak up and receive the help they need. He kept his assault a secret for decades and said that keeping it private only made the issue grow.

“Don’t have the guilt. Don’t have the shame. Don’t have any embarrassment. You’re not by yourself,” Bartko said. “There’s a lot of us out there that have had it. Stick up for yourself, get some help — too many people male or female feel guilty. It’s not their fault.”

Since his announcement of his assault, Bartko said, the transition has been both better and worse. He said that it has been difficult retelling his story to others, but he hopes from speaking up he can make a difference.

Bartko plans to do more advocacy on the issue by speaking at conferences, working with the children of assault and potentially establishing a foundation for support.

Across campus different people showed mixed feelings on Mousseau being a speaker. They argued that Mousseau was not the ideal candidate to address the issue to a diverse community.

Mousseau was aware of the issue, but encouraged them to simply speak up against sexual assault.

“I understand that identity does have an impact on this and how I approach it. I understand also my own privilege, as well. I get that.” Mousseau said. “My goal here is to empower individuals to have that conversation and to start that conversation. And to begin talking about it further.”

Mousseau’s idea is that a victim’s voice needs to be heard during the time of healing. Supporters need to give them that platform and listen, he said.

“A lot of the training and education we do on the topic doesn’t necessarily connect with people on an individual level or often times comes from a place of fear as imposed to a place of empowerment,” Mousseau said.

His talk also focused on the idea that sex is something we need to talk about more openly. He explained that in society, sex is often something that is private; it silences those who may have experienced assault.

“If we’re never talking about sex. if we’re never having positive conversations about it, if we can’t talk about it openly, then how can we expect to have any kind of difficult conversation on it?” Mousseau said.

He hopes that the topic continues to grow in everyday conversations. Mousseau wants others to know that sexual assault always happens.

“This is my job, this is my life, this is my purpose,” Mousseau said. “I don’t just do this in April. This is something I do full-year round.”

The Fresno State Army ROTC was also in attendance. The program has an education program for their cadets on sexual assault, and used this event as an added learning experience.

Hondo Arpoika, senior Army ROTC cadet, valued seeing the survivors share their stories in person.

“It was good, it was better seeing people in person. Listening to their story and what they went through — and how they tackled it differently,” Arpoika said. “It definitely makes it hit home more.”

Arpoika said that the event open their eyes to how vulnerable anyone can be to sexual assault, even more than they had known before.

“It shows that no matter what — it can happen to anyone at anytime,” Arpoika said. “You need to be aware at all times, you need to be cautious.”

The importance of togetherness was expressed throughout the entire event.

“Assault is assault. You can take away male, female, skin-color whatever it might be. We’re all in this together, each person has assault in a different category, we’re all one,” Bartko said. “We have to work together as one and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”