As sexual assault continues to dominate national headlines and campus conversations, some UT students are coming together — to pray about it.
The UT Prayer Vigil for Sexual Assault will be held Thursday at 8 p.m. in Circle Park. Robert Hinson, a senior in biomedical engineering, said he organized the vigil to end the “markedly silent” response from the Christian community on campus in regard to sexual assault.
“This is an opportunity for the Christian community to come together, and also for the non-Christian community on campus to see that this is what Christians believe – that we’re actually going to address these issues,” Hinson said.
The hour-long event will begin with a liturgical, call-and-response prayer led by a local minister. At the conclusion of those prayers, attendees are encouraged to meet with group leaders and pray over more specific aspects of sexual assault, such as intercessions for victims, offenders or others affected by the crime. Individual prayers are also welcome.
For Hinson, a big focus of the vigil is something he refers to as “the heart issue.” He noted that insecurity, lust and personal history can contribute to the mindset of an assaulter.
“Somebody who is an offender – who has committed an assault – usually has other issues, some other deeply-rooted problems, that are showing themselves through sexual assault,” he said.
Campus organizations involved in the event include Cru, Reformed University Fellowship, InterVarsity and Navigators. All are welcome.
Alexandra Chiasson, a senior in English, said she supports this gesture to enter the dialogue about sexual assault.
“It’s true that religious communities have remained silent for far too long,” she said. “If we want to address this issue adequately, all kinds of groups, including groups like SEAT and different Christian denominations, need to be involved.”
As a representative of the Sex Week organizing group, Sexual Empowerment and Awareness at Tennessee, however, Chiasson noted that prayer should not be the only way the Christian community addresses sexual assault.
“I would encourage vigil attendees to consider other approaches to this issue in addition to prayer,” she said.
Hinson echoed her sentiment, pointing out that for Christians, prayer is a preliminary step to action.
“Everyone can pray for the courage to be an active citizen and help solve the problem,” Hinson said.
For more information, visit the UT Prayer Vigil about Sexual Assault Facebook page. The event is not associated with Sex Week programming.
