Basscamp headlines tenth annual Rock Against Rape

Originally Posted on The Maine Campus via UWIRE

On Friday, Sept. 26, Sigma Phi Epsilon, or SigEp, held their 10 annual Rock Against Rape concert outside the Stewart Commons from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., with Basscamp headlining the concert and student groups The Skastitutes and the 3 Wise Men performed as opening acts.

 

The crowd was most excited when Basscamp took the stage. With thumping beats, a techno vibe, and remixes to popular songs like “Happy” by Pharrell Williams, people danced along with much enthusiasm and enjoyment.

 

The first opening act, the 3 Wise Men, had a very pop punk feel covering songs like Lit’s “My Own Worst Enemy,” Taking Back Sunday’s “Tell All Your Friends,” and Fall Out Boy’s “Sugar We’re Going Down.”

 

One of the songs the group covered particularly resonated with the event, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus’s “Face Down,” which describes a man abusing his girlfriend and how she tries to pretend she is okay. Then it talks about how one day she will figure out that she is enough.

 

The second opening act, The Skastitutes, got the crowd excited, putting their own funky rock spin on popular songs such as Barenaked Ladies’ “One Week” and Billy Joel’s “Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song).”

 

Between acts, Brianna Bryant, community outreach educator at Rape Response Services, and Adriana Hopkins, a representative from Spruce Run, talked about issues such as the importance of consent and what donations from the event would be going towards.

 

Multiple tables were at the event, including a UMaine Peer Education table, Rape Response Services, and a Spruce Run-Womancare Alliance table, all with information to help raise awareness and prevent domestic violence.

 

Hopkins said, “October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. We have seen a rise in police saying that [domestic violence] is an issue. The more you report it, the more awareness there is.

 

“We’re never going to turn someone away,” Hopkins said.

 

According to Rape Response Services, one in five adult Maine residents report being a victim of rape or attempted rape in their life. People can make a difference through becoming educating, talking about it, getting involved, and supporting groups such as Spruce Run and Rape Response Services with events such as Rock Against Rape.

 

“A lot of people wonder why didn’t [Janay Rice] just leave,” Hopkins said, referring to the recent alleged abuse accusations against NFL football player Ray Rice. However, campaigns on social media, such as the #WhyIStayed hashtag on Twitter, help explain the struggles of leaving an abusive partner.

 

“Celebrities are taking opportunities to say they’re against it, and regular people follow their advice,” Hopkins said.

 

Bryant said the most important thing college students need to know when it comes to domestic violence and rape is consent.

 

“There needs to be an active ‘yes I want this,’ a verbal yes. You need to be constantly checking in to make sure it is voluntary. You can’t threaten them, it needs to be freely given,” Bryant said.

 

Another big point Bryant stressed was the need to be sober in order to give consent.

 

“If they aren’t sober, they aren’t safe,” Bryant said.

 

According to Hopkins, Spruce Run has a 24-hour hotline, shelter services, support groups and training available. They work with kids of all ages, from preschool to college, within Penobscot and Piscataquis Counties. The money from the event goes to helping maintain these aspects the organization provides.

 

As the music emanated throughout the hilltop area, more people started to show up. Local pizzerias donated pizza to the event.

 

There was also a lot of support from various Greek fraternities and sororities, who came to support SigEp’s cause.

 

Maggie Pierce, a member of Delta Zeta and a third-year communications sciences and disorders student said, “It’s a really good cause and a really good way to raise awareness. It’s hard to talk about, and it gets the conversation going.”

 

Josh Paredes, a fourth-year marketing student, said, “My friends came and there was free pizza, and I wanted to rock against rape.”

 

The brothers of SigEp and event coordinator Jeff Rogers, a third-year finance and financial economics student, worked hard in organizing the concert and raising money for Spruce Run-Womancare Alliance.

 

Rylan Norris, a second-year mechanical engineering student and brother of SigEp said, “[The issue] should be brought up more. It’s a very serious issue that’s often put to the side.”

 

To reach the Spruce Run 24-hour hotline, please call 1-800-863-9909, or contact Spruce Run at www.sprucerun.net/about/contact. Rape Response Services also has a hotline that can be reached at 1-800-310-0000. To learn more about Rape Response Services, including the online hotline, please visit www.rrsonline.org.

 

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