Students Shoulder Mattresses in Solidarity with Sexual Assault Victims

UPDATED: October 30, 2014, at 1:25 a.m.

“No one should have to carry the weight alone,” read one of dozens of hand-written messages written on a mattress that students carried around the Yard Wednesday afternoon. The students were just a few of many who participated in “Carry That Weight,” a nationwide campaign to express support for victims of sexual assault.

Supporters of the 'Carry That Weight' movement carry a mattress to advocate for victims of sexual and domestic violence throughout Wednesday. By Thomas W. Franck

The day of action, which took place on more than 130 college campuses, was sparked by the activism of Columbia University student Emma Sulkowicz, who has spoken publicly about being sexually assaulted and has vowed to carry her dorm mattress for as long as the alleged perpetrator attends Columbia.

According to Brianna J. Suslovic '16, the mattress is a tangible representation of the impact of rape, and the act of collectively shouldering its weight is a symbol of the importance of community support and advocacy for sexual assault victims.

“The idea of human connection is sometimes not as clear when people are caught up in their own lives, their own worlds, their own schedules,” Suslovic said. “To see people take time out of their day today, carry something heavy together, and make it lighter for each individual person—there’s a lot of powerful symbolism in that.”

In addition to the “mattress carries” held throughout the day, students wore red Xs and purple ribbons to raise awareness. In the evening, some gathered outside Memorial Church to reflect on the day’s events. In Eliot House, residents distributed articles about Harvard’s culture regarding rape, such as an op-ed published last spring in The Crimson.

By Thomas W. Franck

Kara J. W. Lessin ’16, who organized activities in Eliot House, said she feels the day of action is significant because it prompts individuals to think and act against sexual assault.

“A lot of the spirit of the day is about the personal decision to take [sexual assault] on,” she said. “Even though a lot of it is [about the] collective carry, there has to be the personal decision to say, ‘this is a thing that I care about.’”

Although several student groups promoted and participated in the event—including Our Harvard Can Do Better, the International Women’s Rights Collective, Harvard Men Against Rape, and Consent, Assault Awareness and Relationship Educators (CAARE)—participants said that no singular group took the lead in organizing.

According to CAARE member Ariane Berelowitch ’15, members of the Office of Sexual Assault Prevention and Response were also present throughout the day to show their support and answer questions.

Emily M. Fox-Penner ’17, an organizer of Our Harvard Can Do Better, said that although the event helped draw attention to the struggles sexual assault victims endure, the conversation on sexual assault must continue beyond a single day.

“It’s really important that we have this physical manifestation, but it’s also important that we recognize that this is an isolated manifestation of a very sustained problem,” Fox-Penner said. “Emma is carrying this mattress every day of the school year.”

Jack C. Smith ’15, a member of Harvard Men Against Rape, also noted the need for continued advocacy against sexual assault.

“Everyone has a role to play here, and we all can do a little bit more to make sure that this issue gets the attention that it deserves,” he said.

—Staff writer Quynh-Nhu Le can be reached at quynhnhu.le@thecrimson.com.

This article has been revised to reflect the following correction:

CORRECTION: October 21, 2014

An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated Emily M. Fox-Penner's class year. In fact, she is a member of the Class of 2017.