Last night, my heart was broken. As I marched with the participants of Take Back the Night, holding hands and drying tears, woman after woman came forward to courageously share their stories of survival ("Taking back the night," April 22). With desperation we clung to one another, hoping to heal and yearning for solutions. Gathered in a circle to create a safe place for both personal experiences and public dialogue, a disturbing thing happened: Our group was verbally assaulted by students, both on the streets and in the dorms. The heckling was particularly disrespectful upon our arrival at both East and Pollock residence halls, as deliberately hurtful words were shouted from building windows. To these cowards I say: You can hide your faces behind your curtains and continue to propagate hate, but we will not be silenced. We will continue to scream and shout until our voices are heard. Sexual violence in this community will no longer be tolerated. As stated at the rally, if you are not outraged, you are not paying attention. Some of the women that you claim to love are suffering in silence every day, ashamed to tell their stories, fearful of judgment and blame.

Take Back the Night, along with other similar events, is an important first step in initiating a proactive dialogue, both on this campus and in the community. This is only the beginning. Statistics tell us that one in four women will be sexually assaulted in her lifetime. That is 5,000 women at Penn State alone. These survivors have fathers, brothers, partners and friends, all of whom belonged at Wednesday night's activities. Yes, I am angry. Yes, I am frustrated. Yes, I cry myself to sleep at night because I feel helpless. Do I believe that all men are evil? No. Do I believe that all men commit sexually violent acts? No. But, do I believe that the men in our community have the responsibility to take action, to speak out with their fellow sisters to end this cycle? Yes. It is time for compassion. It is time for action. And to the women who were brave enough to share their pain Wednesday, I thank you. Your courage keeps the voice alive. Although at times it seems that your community has abandoned you, we have not.

The road is long, and the obstacles in your path may seem insurmountable at times, but continue to speak out if you are able. Takes someone's hand, and we will walk together into the light.