A warm glow lit up Old Main's steps last night as about 100 people held small white candles at a rape and sexual assault awareness vigil.

Speakers promoted rape prevention and support for victims.

"Through the vigil, let us send a clear message that there is no room anywhere at Penn State or our society at large for these brutal and terrifying crimes," Penn State President Graham Spanier said. "These violent acts not only degrade the victims, but our community and our society in general."

Spanier, who was widely criticized for leaving last April's Take Back the Night rally after he spoke, stayed for the entire vigil, moving throughout the crowd and listening to the speakers. Other administrators also attended, including Terrell Jones, vice provost for educational equity and Tom Poole, associate vice provost for educational equity.

Speaker Shirley Bishop, sexual assault legal advocate and counselor at the Centre County Women's Resource Center said people need to understand and acknowledge rape occurs.

"It is happening in Happy Valley," she said.

Bishop emphasized most rapes, 85 percent or more, are perpetrated by someone the victim knows.

Bishop listed other statistics as well: one in three women will experience sexual assault in their lifetime, and one in four female college students will experience rape or attempted rape during her college education. She said most victims are between 16 and 24 years old. "Where does that put the college age gal? Right at the height of that vulnerability," Bishop said.

When a woman is raped, she said, it's not just a momentary trauma. It can cause her to quit school, lose her job, and be left by her boyfriend.

"Their life falls apart," she said.

Several women spoke about the lingering effects of rape during an open microphone portion of the event.

One survivor said her grades went down because she lost her ability to concentrate; two others said they blamed themselves during years of silent suffering.

One woman, Jessica O'Neil (freshman-English), spoke about being raped when she was 16, even though she was sober and dressed modestly. She wanted to dispel the myth that women won't be assaulted if they don't drink or flash a lot of skin.

Virginia Schiefelbein (graduate-biobehavioral health) said females must not be socialized to believe they are responsible for men's behavior.

"The thing that amazes me here is the victim blaming," she said. "When I read the letters to the editor about 'they should have locked their door,' it made me want to scream."

Christie Blackman (graduate-biochemistry and molecular engineering) also said society must stop blaming victims. She spoke about the need to change men's attitudes in order to prevent rape.

"There's a sense of entitlement to women's bodies," she said, calling for prevention education for boys. "You are not entitled to someone else's body."

The vigil was part of Unity Week, an initiative to build a more interactive and respectful community.

Unity Week continues today, with "Hate Crimes Awareness Day." People will give testimonies of hate crime and hate speech at Penn State on the steps of Willard Building at noon. Allies will host a program on homophobia at 7 tonight in the Pollock Rec Room, and Black Caucus will discuss hate crimes at 8:15 tonight in the Pollock Rec Room.