Fear 2 Freedom event rallies students to support survivors of sexual assault
On Oct. 3, 2018 Fear 2 Freedom held their annual care package assembling event in Regent’s library atrium. This event raises awareness for survivors of sexual assault. Volunteers showed their solidarity to support survivors in any way possible by educating themselves and putting together the care packages. Since Rosemary Trible founded Fear 2 Freedom in 2011, the organization has distributed 13,000 kits to survivors.
While there, students heard from speakers and were deeply impacted. Christa Fisher, a junior at Regent, communicates that she “thought it was really powerful when the nurse was explaining how impactful receiving a Fear 2 Freedom bag can be – especially after the taxing process they have to go through medically. She explained how receiving a bag can be the only real sense of security they feel in that moment. It seems so simple to put together a bag full of clothes and toothbrushes, but to someone who feels like they had so much taken from them, it means so much.”
Tori Hirsch, a sophomore, shares a similar sentiment as she states that she “really love[d] how personal the event [was], that even though we will never meet the victims who receive our care packages, it’s cool that our simple actions during the event will have such a deep impact.” The handwritten notes included in the kits especially resonated with Regent students as the act of writing down encouragements to the survivors was a very personal and meaningful experience.
The packages assembled are referred to as F2F Kits, and the effect of these kits is much greater than the sum of their parts. Not only are the items inside practical (the toiletries or change of clothes) but they’re also comforting (the stuffed Freedom Bear and handwritten note). When a victim of sexual assault is admitted to the hospital for treatment, the exam is invasive and traumatizing. Their belongings are kept for evidence and they have to leave the hospital in the temporary scrubs given to them during the exam. This is where the F2F Kits provide hope and comfort to victims of abuse. The kits let them know that someone values them and is out there encouraging them to stay strong.
On that night, Regent students came together as a community seeking the same things: to extend care, encouragement, and hope to those who are in an otherwise lonely and hopeless situation.
To see more of what happened that evening check out Channel 13’s above coverage of the event. And to learn more about how to get involved, visit Fear 2 Freedom’s website and like them on Facebook for updates on the work they’re doing around the world.
Chloe Kasper is a department head for the Daily Runner.
