Photos and Story by Robin Duff / Contributing Writer
Alpha Sigma Phi held a candlelight vigil in honor of victims of sexual abuse on Thursday night. The vigil closed the fraternity’s philanthropy week, in which they raised awareness for RAINN, the Rape Abuse Incest National Network.
“The RAINN website states that 80,600 inmates, 60,000 children, 321,500 people from the general population ages 12 and up, and 18,900 people in the military experience some form of unwanted sexual contact, sexual assault or rape,” said Garrett Spurlin, Philanthropy Director of Alpha Sigma Phi, who organized the vigil.
The fraternity allowed students to paint stripes and sign their names on bags in the Student Union Building.
“Each light represents 1,000 victims,” Spurlin said. “And there are 482 bags out in total.”
For more information on RAINN, visit the organization’s website at https://www.rainn.org/.
Bags were painted and signed by students. Some were signed by survivors, while others featured messages like “Stay strong!” on Thursday, April 13, 2017 (Robin Duff/ MTSU Sidelines).
Candles light up the Student Union Commons for the RAINN candlelight vigil on Thursday, April 13, 2017 (Robin Duff/ MTSU Sidelines).
The different colored stripes represent the different types of victims. Red for the general public, blue for children, orange for inmates, and green for members of the military on Thursday, April 13, 2017 (Robin Duff/ MTSU Sidelines).
“Ashton: an unashamed survivor!” written on one of the bags on Thursday, April 13, 2017 (Robin Duff/ MTSU Sidelines).
Candles light up the Student Union Commons for the RAINN candlelight vigil on Thursday, April 13, 2017 (Robin Duff/ MTSU Sidelines).
Candles light up the Student Union Commons for the RAINN candlelight vigil on Thursday, April 13, 2017 (Robin Duff/ MTSU Sidelines).
Bags were signed by students during Alpha Sigma Phi’s philanthropy week (Robin Duff/ MTSU Sidelines).
Blue striped bags represented the 60,000 children who are victims of sexual abuse last year on Thursday, April 13, 2017 (Robin Duff/ MTSU Sidelines).
The Alpha Sigma Phi brothers with signs explaining the significance of the different colored stripes on Thursday, April 13, 2017 (Robin Duff/ MTSU Sidelines).
