FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Genevieve Rogers, (617) 416-3910
grogers@wellesley.edu
200+ Students to Rally Against Sexual Violence on Campus at Massachusetts State House
Event marks the broadest student rally for student-drafted legislation at the Massachusetts State House in recent years
What: On April 10, 200 students representing 20 Massachusetts colleges and universities will gather in front of the Massachusetts State House for a rally for two bipartisan bills that will move the needle on providing safer learning environments and supporting survivors of sexual violence.
First drafted and proposed by students in 2015, one bill requires every Massachusetts college and university to administer an anonymous sexual assault climate surveys to their students. The second bill was crafted by advocacy groups to codify and complement federal Title IX protections. The coalition will deliver a petition with over 64,000 signatures in support of these bills at the event. They will also hear from student leaders, legislators and advocacy groups.
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and the message from Massachusetts students survivors and their allies is clear – sexual assault on college campuses is unacceptable and the Massachusetts legislature must listen to student voices and take action to make college campuses safer.
Why: There were 344 reported cases of rape at Massachusetts schools in 2016 alone. However, public statistics only account for violence that is reported to law enforcement officials, while national studies estimate that more than 90% of sexual assaults go unreported. That means of the more than 250,000 students who arrive on Massachusetts campuses each fall, there will be thousands of victims of sexual assault—most unreported—every year.
Attendees: Organized by the Every Voice Coalition, a grassroots organization of MA students and alums. Students will be joined by key leadership supporters including remarks by
● Representative Byron Rushing, Majority Whip
● Representative Lori Ehrlich
● Representative Farley-Bouvier
● Maude Gorman – 2015 Miss Massachusetts World Winner, elite racer and sexual assault survivor
● Debra Robbin, Executive Director, Jane Doe Inc.
● Katia Santiago Taylor, Boston Area Rape Crisis Center Advocacy and Legislative Affairs Manager
Date & Time: April 10 – 11:30 AM-1:30 PM
Location: Massachusetts State House, 24 Beacon St, Boston, MA 02133
Contact: Genevieve Rogers, The Every Voice Coalition, 617-416-3910, grogers2@wellesley.edu
Represented Schools: The following schools will be represented by student organizations at the rally:
- Boston College
- Boston University
- Brandeis University
- Bridgewater State
- Bunker Hill Community College
- Emerson College
- Lesley University
- Harvard University
- Middlesex Community College
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Mt. Wachusett Community College
- Mt. Holyoke College
- Northeastern University
- Simmons College
- Stonehill College
- Suffolk University
- Tufts University
- University of Massachusetts Amherst
- University of Massachusetts Boston
- Wellesley College
- Wheelock College