The event was organized by the ASUC Office of the President in conjunction with ASUC senators Sadia Saifuddin, Rosemary Hua and Megan Majd. In order to raise awareness of such crimes on campus, victims of sexual assault shared their stories.

According to a Berkeley Police Department crime report, there were 39 reported incidents of sexual assault in the city of Berkeley in 2012, up from 20 incidents in 2011.

“(Sexual assault) is something that doesn’t discriminate against color or gender,” Saifuddin said. “It’s something that happens to a lot of people.”

According to Bay Area Women Against Rape training coordinator Agustina Perez, 85 percent of sexual assaults are committed by a person whom the victim knows, and only one in 10 victims report the crime.

Student attendees included members of the campus sorority system and the ASUC. The workshop was facilitated by UCPD, University Health Services and BAWAR.

“(Events like Fight Back) allow survivors of sexual assault who are silenced to have a voice,” Hua said. “But it also allows for facetime between UCPD and students (and) facilities a discussion.”

Speakers at the event noted the importance of discussing sexual assault in an open and safe environment.

“The reason why sexual violence is rising at such alarming rates is because people don’t talk about it,” Perez said. “Anything that will get people to talk and create safe spaces is a step in the right direction.”

Community leaders provided attendees with resources to defend themselves against attack.

During the workshop, UCPD officers offered a pepper spray demonstration as well as basic self-defense techniques. Officers said one of the most basic but useful techniques in the case of an assault is to shout for help. The workshop also offered free pepper spray to participants.

“There is nothing that anyone can do that warrants (or) causes rape,” Perez said during her presentation. “The only person responsible for rape is the one committing it.”

Director and Title IX Officer Denise Oldman of the Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination said that it is important to know that there are allies in the community for sexual assault victims. She addressed the various resources available to students, including medical, psychological and emotional health services, residential needs and prevention help.

Members of the ASUC and campus community alike said they hope events like Fight Back will educate the students that attended and continue to raise awareness about sexual assault and violence within the UC Berkeley community.

“I feel like it’s important to have events that raise awareness about how critical an issue (sexual violence is) both on campus and in general,” said sophomore Taylor Fugere, who is a member of Greeks Against Sexual Assault and involved in the Gender Equity Resource Center.

UCPD Officer Brendan Tinney said he hopes to see more involvement with sexual assault prevention from other groups on campus, such as fraternities.

“I think there’s some interest specifically in the part of fraternities, at least some of them,” Tinney said. “But I’m waiting for them to reach out. You don’t (only) teach the group that’s interested in the topic.”

Contact Jennie Yoon at jyoon@dailycal.org.

Correction(s):
A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that there had been 39 incidents of sexual assault on the UC Berkeley campus this year, a 95 percent increase from 19 incidents the previous year. In fact, there were 39 reported incidents of sexual assault in the city of Berkeley in 2012, up from 20 incidents in 2011.

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This event also fulfills UC Berkeley’s EmpowerU requirement.

For more information, visit their Facebook page. If you have any questions or are interested in performing, you can email them at BerkeleyTBTN@gmail.com.

Contact Meadhbh McGrath at mmcgrath@dailycal.org.

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Domestic violence is not a private matter. It impacts approximately 2.3 million people each year in the United States who are raped and/or physically assaulted by a current or former spouse, boyfriend or girlfriend. It comes at us from all angles. Abuse in relationships exists among all classes, races and cultural groups, although women between ages 16 and 24 are nearly three times more vulnerable to intimate partner violence. 16 to 24? That’s us! So what is being done and can be done to change social perceptions or norms related to dating abuse?

This violence affects everyone in the immediate community surrounding victims and batterers. We hear of unhealthy and abusive relationships in headlines, conversations with friends and families, stories, texts and Facebook threads. Many professionals — teachers, counselors, lawyers, health and social workers — are trained in domestic violence and abuse protocols and reporting, but they are not the only ones who can help. Violence is a community issue, and it’s everyone’s duty to hold batterers accountable for their actions. Providing information on healthy, unhealthy and abusive relationships, as well as ways for witnesses of abuse to be empowered bystanders, are some of the current intervention strategies being used.

There are also many coordinated efforts under way to explain how to stand up for others, safely leave an abusive relationship and seek justice for the crimes of abuse. The Red Flag Campaign was created to help people recognize abuse or potential for abuse early. Men Can Stop Rape created a campaign to take a stand against relationship violence. There are also sports mentoring programs. As mentioned on the National Consortium for Academics and Sports website, their program is “focused on motivating student athletes and student leaders to play a central role in solving problems historically considered to be women’s issues: rape, battering, and sexual harassment. Participants learn that there is not simply ‘one way’ to confront violence, but that each individual can learn valuable skills to build their personal resolve and to act when faced with difficult or threatening life situations.”

These organizations are all targeting intervention at the individual level, so check them out and see how you can take a stand for the people in your life.

In addition to individual awareness programs, Berkeley has many resources for people to seek help, support and training, as well as volunteer and work opportunities. The Gender Equity Resource Center has a link that details many of the resources in the area. Check them out! The Tang Center also offers counseling services to all students, and SHIP insurance covers these costs.

Many steps can be taken to build awareness of the harms of dating violence as well as the proactive steps for its prevention. There are many organizations and state officials working for improvement in these arenas. The California Partnership to End Domestic Violence has a Public Policy and Research Committee and Teen Dating Violence subcommittee that advocates for public policies and institutional practices to promote healthy relationships and prevent TDV. They believe that by joining together and sharing expertise, families, communities, advocates and legislators can end domestic violence. See how you could support their upcoming campaigns or join the movement and spread the word through Facebook and Twitter.

So what else can be done to address the cycle of abuse? There have been many movements within education to create and implement anti-bullying, anti-violence and empowered leadership curriculum in elementary, middle and high schools. This movement to cut off the cycle of abuse at an early age has come out of recognition that one in four adolescents reports verbal, emotional, physical or sexual dating violence each year. Fifteen to 40 percent of youth report perpetrating violence toward a dating partner. Dating abuse is associated with many adverse outcomes, including truancy, use of alcohol and drugs, eating disorders, depression and suicide. None of these issues is private, and society is beginning to take responsibility for the harms of domestic violence. Are you?

Anna Johnson is a first-year graduate student in the Goldman School of Public Policy and an intern with the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence.

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