The long walk to end rape continues

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More than 100 people from all walks of life gathered at Potrero del Sol Park April 18 in recognition of Sexual Assault Awareness Month after marching 3.5 miles through the Mission District to demand an end of sexual violence.
This year marked a decade since San Francisco Women Against Rape started its annual Walk Against Rape (SFWAR) event. The statistics are shocking: one in three women will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime, as will one in eleven men.

“We want to let the community know, that this is not a subject matter that needs to be talked about secretly,” said Sandra Sandoval, SFWAR’s director of community initiatives. “It’s a subject matter that needs to be talked about openly.”

Participants rallied for justice after a breakfast at the San Francisco Women’s Building, many wearing green SFWAR T-shirts; it was a sight no one could miss. With signs and banners in hand, survivors and allies marched down 18th Street with police escorts leading the way and drivers honking in support.

“For me personally, I feel like I walk with all the people in my family that are survivors,” said Laurene Dominguez, herself a survivor of sexual violence. “It’s such a mix of emotions: I’m happy, I’m proud, I’m also sad. We have to do something like this to raise awareness.”

With her mother and her dog walking along her side, Dominguez completed her fifth march with SFWAR. Dominguez is a faculty member at San Francisco State University where she coordinates The Sexual Abuse Free Environment, or SAFE Place, a resource center for sexual violence prevention and crisis intervention. Several other SF State students and colleagues, marched beside her to bring an end to sexual violence.

A nonprofit that survives on fundraising and donations, SFWAR offers a 24-hour rape crisis line, counseling programs, medical advocates, prevention education and much more.

SFWAR has provided these services through its volunteer-based program for more than 40 years, hoping these walks will raise awareness and stop the epidemic of sexual assault.

“It’s OK if folks don’t want to report, but what’s most important is getting the information,” said Sandoval. “Prevention education, to us, is one of the biggest keys to any sexual assault. What does that mean? Information, knowledge, we need to start having more spaces where people teach each other (and) talk about it.”

As they gathered at Potrero del Sol Park, chanting and marching in synchrony, one stood out among the crowd. With her cherry red hair and checkered skirt, Sasha Cuttler, a drag queen, danced to the beat of the marching band alongside more than 200 other participants. Cuttler attended the march as an ally representing the drag queen and transgender community, who are also victims of sexual violence.

“I’m just hoping we don’t have to have an 11th, a 12th, a 13th [march] about this,” Cuttler said. “It’s outrageous. Rape can stop.”

Initially nervous as a man who dresses in drag, Cuttler was overjoyed by the welcoming and enthusiastic energy SFWAR’s participants brought her way, dancing by her side.

“I saw people that seemed like they were shy and they wanted to dance with me at the festival and that just feels so good,” Cuttler said. “There is no body shaming, there is no clothes shaming, we’re just all people that want to do something about this problem of rape.”

SFWAR is based at the San Francisco Women’s building on 18th Street; their hotline number is (415) 647-7273(RAPE).