During Lindenwood’s Fifth Annual Sibley Day, one event drew awareness to a sensitive topic. The posters displayed in the J. Scheidegger Center’s lobby represent victims of sexual assault. They show poems, photos, song lyrics and stories.

Still Standing is an event held at Lindenwood University that encourages survivors of sexual assault to tell their stories. One viewer, Katherine Davis says the event is helpful to survivors.

This event was the first of its kind and displayed the boards of eight survivors. Event organizer Ariel Niccum is an assault survivor.

She says the boards are meant for people to read.”We got people to start hearing some voice, which is a very powerful part of healing for sexual abuse survivors.”

Many students came out to read the testimonies and look at the posters. Davis says she was really taken aback by the stories.

“When I think of Still Standing I wasn’t sure what it was at first a girl in my dorm was talking about it earlier and I was like well I guess I could go check it out just to kind of see what it is and when I got here and started reading the stories I was kind of amazed that so many people have to endure these things and no one even knows about it.”

Niccum says the best way for victims to cope is to talk about their assault. “The best things you can do if you have background in sexual assault is to talk about it, to get help, you know seek counseling. Seek people who have been there and just kind of talk about it.”

According to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network, approximately one assault occurs every two minutes. If you or someone you know has fell victim to sexual abuse you can call 1-800-656-hope.

For LUTV, I’m Killian Walsh.