By Leo Cabral

Riverside City College’s Student Health and Psychological Services led a crowd of students on a march through campus to bring awareness to sexual and domestic violence.

On Nov. 6 RCC’s first Take Back the Night event opened with a speech from Elizabeth Ayala of the Women’s Foundation of California outside the MLK Building.

On their website states “The Women’s Foundation of California is a statewide, publicly supported foundation dedicated to achieving racial, economic, and gender justice by centering the experience and expertise of communities most impacted by systemic injustice.”

Ayala spoke about raising awareness and ending the stigma on survivors of domestic and sexual violence.

“On the flyer for this event stated ‘every 92 seconds another person is sexually assaulted,” Ayala said. “This represents less than two minutes. So by the time we’re done with our walk that will represent a significant amount of people. Too many people.”

Throughout Ayala’s speech, Student Success Specialist Elizabeth Montes turned on a tea candle every 92 seconds.

After they marched around campus, Director of the Student Health & Psychological Services Renee Martin and Student Success Specialist Allan Forbes lead the march to the Bradshaw Hall of Fame for a resource fair.

Tabling at the resource fair were Planned Parenthood and the Riverside Area Rape Crisis Center to offer information and support to those in attendance.

The Student Health and Psychological Services is located in the Bradshaw Building.

For more information contact SHPS at 951-222-8151.