On Sept. 30, a rally was held in the courtyard outside Walker Hall to raise awareness of sexual assault and the resources available for students who have been affected by it.

“What would it take to end sexual assault?” asked professor Dawn Graff-Haight who teaches health education at Linfield.

Graff-Height urged members at the rally to “make this a caring community … care enough about each so that this doesn’t keep happening.”

The rally was put on by the Associated Students of Linfield College board and the Student Health and Wellness center.

Coach Joe Smith from the Linfield football team explained to the audience at the rally, specifically the men, that, “Being a man of action means standing up for what you see as wrong.” “Lets take care of each other,” Smith said.

Even at a small college like Linfield sexual assault can happen. The rally was held so students could come together and know that there are people out there to help them if they find themselves in a bad situation.

Graff-Haight wants students to, “Make Linfield a place where rape can’t happen because we won’t let it.”

ASLC publicity director Olivia Marovich said the point of the rally was, “To raise awareness of sexual assault even on small campuses.” “We wanted to show support for those who been sexually assaulted … Linfield is a caring community that will help them,” Marovich said.

Patti Haddeland a certified nurse from the Student Health and Wellness Center informed students about the different options they have if they experience sexual assault.

Haddeland mentioned that the health center can aid students with pregnancy care, trauma, prevention, counseling and she also talked about the Consent Awareness Training Squad, which is Linfield’s trained group of students that educate new students on ways to prevent sexual assault.

Haddeland also mentioned the Willamette Valley Medical Center, the Henderson House and Juliette’s House as support options for people who need help if they have been sexually assaulted.

Haddeland said that the Willamette Valley Medical Center “is equipped with SANE nurses which stands for sexual assault nurse examiners who are trained to aid and examine people that have been sexually assaulted.”

Sophomore Casie Gaza commented that the rally, “Was so moving and touching to see all the students gather to support a necessary cause.” “It really opened my eyes to sexual violence and how easy it is to slip into something so dangerous,” Gaza said.

The rally ended with a moment of silence lead by Linfield’s Chaplain David Massey who hopes, “We can change the way the world deals with sexual assault.”