Hope Harbor & Take Back the Night

FFOYA House had the chance to partner with Hope Harbor to raise awareness about one of the most important issues in a college town or any town: sexual assault. Following the annual Take Back the Night march, we hosted a concert and a Sexual Assault Awareness Month art show to benefit Hope Harbor, a sexual trauma recovery center serving Allen, Barren, Butler, Edmonson, Hart, Logan, Metcalfe, Monroe, Simpson, and Warren Counties in Kentucky. 

Three bands -- Rose Hotel, V.V. Lightbody and Astronomy Club -- volunteered their time and talents in the music portion of the event.  Artwork by eight artists also was selected for a gallery display on the themes of sexual violence, body image, healing, recovery and empowerment. (See the art and read more about the art show here.) A free library with books ranging from spirituality to feminist fiction was offered as part of the event, too.

You can see a video of the Take Back the Night march posted by Joe Imel of BG Daily News here. 

Shelby Bruce wrote a walk-up story about the event for the College Heights Herald. From wkuherald.com:

     Hope Harbor Inc., a nonprofit crisis counseling center, and WKU’s Counseling and Testing Center will be partnering with the Former Friends of Young Americans House tonight to host a Take Back the Night event and benefit concert.
     The march will start at 6 p.m. at the Warren County Justice Center at 1001 Center St. Following the march and a candlelit vigil, participants are encouraged to gather at the FFOYA House at 1035 Kentucky St. for a live concert.
     The event recognizes April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month and is held to protest the idea of people being assaulted while walking outside at night, according to Alayna Milby, the director of crisis intervention at Hope Harbor.
     “It’s to raise awareness that women should not be afraid to walk at night in fear of being assaulted,” Milby said.
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