Students and community members spent Friday evening on the Main Mall in support of survivors of sexual assault at Take Back the Night, an annual rally addressing sexual violence.
Survivors and their friends spoke out against the apparently increasing problem with sexual violence on campus.
More rape and forced sex offenses were reported on campus in 2002 than in the previous three years, according to UT crime statistics released last semester.
"I think on college campuses in general, administrators and faculty don't want it to become public knowledge that rapes happen on their campus, although they happen on every campus," said author Lori Robinson, the keynote speaker. "They don't want negative publicity, they don't want students to find out and decide not to attend, they don't want alumni to stop giving money."
Robinson, who wrote "I Will Survive: The African-American Guide to Healing from Sexual Assault and Abuse," was raped in 1995. Now she speaks at college campuses across the nation trying to raise awareness about sexual violence.
Though many universities have fully funded women's centers responsible for organizing events, Robinson said many others have only volunteer-operated centers, and some campuses have no resources at all. She said the University, with its Voices Against Violence program, is somewhere in the middle.
"I think there's been a little bit of negligence, but I don't think it was intentional," said Leah Trilli, a finance senior.
Trilli has been advocating campus safety since she was assaulted and almost raped this March while running at the intramural fields. Trilli was attacked from behind but fought off her assailant. The Texan previously reported on the incident and kept her identity private, but Trilli says she wants to speak out and isn't afraid of people knowing her name.
Trilli is encouraging officials to improve lighting around the fields and make nighttime parking safer for students. She said victims of sexual violence should not be ashamed or blame themselves and should report incidents to the proper authorities to help raise awareness and fight the problem.
"I love this campus - I never was afraid to be here," Trilli said. "I don't have that sense of security anymore."
UT officials could not be reached for comment Friday.
Christopher Vaughn, government junior and co-organizer for the event, said the issue of sexual assault needs more attention.
"People don't see it as something they can actually do something about," Vaughn said.
Rachel Bradley, theater and dance senior and member of Voices Against Violence, said the issue of sexual assault is pushed under the table.
"I think the University has an attitude that this is a secondary issue and that a lot of other things come first," Bradley said.
She also said educational and preventative programs receive little administrative funding.
The rally was sponsored by Student Government, Student Advocates for Nonviolence and the Women's Resource Center.
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