By Jolie Price

The ninth annual Take Back the Night program, supporting Sexual Assault Awareness Month, was held last night is the TSC.

Take Back the Night has become a yearly tradition at USU after a national Take Back the Night campaign which is a women's march.

"We do it here at USU to make it more community and campus oriented," said Women's Center Director Janet Osborn and coordinator of the program.

The program featured music by Nadene Steinhoff a folk vocalist and guitarist and her song called "Survivor." Students representing various campus organizations read quotes about survival and survivors of sexual assault shared their stories.

After the speakers, participants were asked to color a peace flag. Students were encouraged to express their views and ideas on rape.

"It was a nice ending to the program," Jodi Mitchell, a junior, said. "I thought it was a great idea. It made the program more personal."

Following the program, participants walked from Old Main to 400 No. According to Osborn the walk was a public awareness effort.

"We want people to realize rape is a community problem and it takes a community to make a solution," Osborn said. "The main point of the program tonight is to make people aware, educate and show support."

The program also featured a project by senior photo and anthropology major Laura Patterson depicting rape survivors accounts and pictures of their recovery.

"Stereotypes surround victims of rape and people doubt anything happened to them," Patterson said. "My project looks at the positive sides of being able to cope and express feelings. It helps explain what they have gone through. Friends can help friends."