A chain of plastic, human-shaped cutouts stretched across Hayden Lawn Monday, attracting glances from passers-by.
The cutouts, which represented people affected by sexual violence, were part of the Take Back the Day event put on by Home Safe Violence Prevention and Advocacy Center.
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
Home Safe representatives said Take Back The Day was held to raise awareness about sexual violence, especially among college students.
Fliers were also handed out to spread the word about Take Back the Night, a rally and march held nationwide every year. Home Safe has been organizing the event in Arizona for over 10 years and this year's march will take place on Mill Avenue Wednesday.
Besides the march and a candlelight vigil, Wednesday's events will include speeches by an ASU police sergeant and other activists on rape and sexual violence. One police officer will also manage a slam poetry session.
Dena Hester, sexual assault prevention coordinator at Home Safe, said there were a lot of students who came up to the Take Back the Day stalls and looked up information.
"We're hoping for a ripple effect," she said.
According to a 2004 National College Health Assessment survey, one in 20 ASU women and one in 100 ASU men experienced an attempted or completed sexual assault.
Hester said 84 percent to 95 percent of all sexual violence takes place between acquaintances, not strangers.
She also said in up to 90 percent of sexual assault cases on college campuses either the perpetrator or the victim had been drinking.
"Sexual violence is highly under-reported and hopefully through such events, more people will understand the issue," Hester said.
Heidi Adams, a social work graduate student, stopped by to volunteer.
"I'm a social worker myself and am interested in such programs," she said.
Kari Hartwick, a visitor from Michigan whose son is a prospective ASU student, said she was glad to see the event.
Hartwick said she had been stalked by a man a couple of years ago.
"You gotta be careful who you talk to anywhere nowadays," she said.
Justice studies and psychology junior Sarah Goldsand said her sense of activism made her want to work for Home Safe.
"Being in a wheelchair, I have experienced and therefore understand injustice," she said.
One of the stalls had colorful denim patches to raise awareness about Denim Week, also held in April, and is an attempt to draw attention to rape myths.
Psychology junior Adia Moore, a Home Safe volunteer, said it's an important -- though uncomfortable -- issue.
"Most of us know at least one person who has been violated," she said. "That's reason enough to do something about it."
Reach the reporter at sonu.munshi@asu.edu.
