Dozens of people participated in a candlelight vigil and guided meditation for victims of sexual assault in Del Ray on Tuesday night (Oct. 13).
The event was led by clinical psychologists Lauren Fisher, Eleni Boosalis and Talia Abreu in the parking lot of Del Ray Psych and Wellness (1900 Mount Vernon Avenue). As national outrage grows over allegations of a 2024 gang rape at Cornell University, participants at the vigil said they hope the country is reaching an inflection point on the issue.
Fisher said that the Cornell case, as well as an alleged rape in Old Town, stirred up a lot of emotions for her clients.
“There are so many Jane Does out there who weren’t believed, who weren’t heard, who carry this trauma and shame,” Fisher told ALXnow.
One in five women in the U.S. have experienced completed or attempted rape, according to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center.
Participants were encouraged to post notes of support for Jane Doe, the victim in the Cornell incident, on a cork board, to light candles and meditate.
“I’m really hoping this becomes an inflection point,” a vigil participant told ALXnow. “Jane Doe is not alone. We’re all over the place. They’re our mothers, our daughters, our neighbors, they’re your wives, your colleagues that have all likely known someone or have had some kind of experience themselves. At some point, it’s time to say it’s enough.”
Fisher and Boosalis host a monthly podcast Shrinks On Tap, and spoke about domestic violence in this month’s show. Next month, they will cover sexual assault.
If you or someone you know has experienced a sexual assault, contact the sexual assault hotline 24 hours a day at 703-683-7273.
