Saint Mary's College hosts Symposium for sexual violence awareness

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Saint Mary's College hosted its annual 'Raise Your Voice Sexual Violence Awareness Symposium', bringing in National Activist and Author Andrea Pino Silva as this year's Expert Guest Speaker.

Andrea is the subject of the 2015 documentary 'The Hunting Ground', which is a film exposing issues plaguing college campuses, specifically highlighting failures to adequately address and support survivors at schools across the nation.

"Sexual Violence is a public health epidemic, not just here, but around the world. Oftentimes, we don't talk about sexual violence. We see it as a crime that happens to a few people who make a mistake, but it's really a problem that impacts all of us," stated Silva.

She goes on to state, "The really important message I like to tell people is that the incident itself isn't the entire picture. It's really about what it's like to be a student here who's experienced violence and how difficult it can be to just fit in, right? So, it's so important to think about how people can create that community so that if something happens, that person can feel supported."

The documentary features personal stories of several students, including some from Saint Mary's, while spotlighting the systemic problems of victim-blaming and institutional cover-ups, further advocating for better accountability and greater change.