Vigil Against Violence

By Chhun Sun

The Free Speech Area was awash with black clothing Thursday as the campus Peace & Civil Liberties Coalition held a silent vigil protesting violence against women.

In recognition of Women’s Herstory Month, the coalition organized “Women Standing Against Violence: Women in Black Demonstration” on the steps of the speaker’s platform.

Some students stopped momentarily to observe and then proceeded along. Some completely stopped to watch the event, while children from the Peach Blossom festival asked what was taking place.

For the first half of their hour-long demonstration, participants stood in silence, holding signs depicting the violence women have endured for centuries on a global scale.

About 30 women—and a handful of men—held signs bearing messages such as “Women do not give birth to sons so they can die in war” and “One in five women will be victims of rape.”

Others made picture collages of women who had suffered from abuse, such as the sign depicting Rachael Corey, who died after a bulldozer ran over her in Palestine.

“ It’s powerful to have a demonstration in silence,” said Wade Barrett, who decided to stop between classes. “When you think of one, they’re usually loud, obnoxious and lots of chaos. This is an intellectual protest that makes people stop and think.”

Ruth Obel-Jorgensen, president of the coalition, sang a lullaby about being raped to start the second-half of the demonstration.

“ Today we stand in solidarity to raise awareness on this campus about the violence against women,” she said.

Judy Michael, a member of Fresno’s Women in Black, told the story of Julie Myers, who was raped and killed by in 1989, in Mariposa.

Michael then asked for a moment of silence.

Courtney Weathersby, a student who passed by to watch the protest, offered thoughts on violence against women.

“ I think women have been oppressed,” she said. “When people think of oppression, all they think of is race. And I think that’s the message they’re trying to convey here.”