Bethel University lifts up abuse victims and survivors at vigil

McKENZIE, Tenn. — April is Child Abuse Awareness and Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

Every year, Bethel University hosts a candle light vigil as a way to shine a light on those who may have been impacted by abuse and neglect.

“It’s much more prevalent than we think it is,” Rachael Brooks Bethel Director of Prevention Services said.

It is a topic not often talked about, but for Fatelia Avery, child abuse became a terrifying reality.

“When I was 16, I was sexually abused by family member, which was very hard for me to deal with,” Avery said said.

Now a student at Bethel University, Avery founded the Child Abuse Recognition Effort on campus.

She said she hopes to use her experience as a way to help others.

“When I started this on campus, I realized more students have gone through this then I realized,” Avery said.

Avery’s group hosted a survivors celebration and candlelight vigil on campus, remembering abuse victims and lifting up those still fighting.

“We don’t need to just brush it off and have it in the background,” Avery said. “It needs to be brought to everyone’s attention.”

Students and faculty decorated luminaries and placed them all over campus hoping to bring awareness to a topic sometimes hard to talk about.

“I think a lot of times victims don’t know the resources that are available to them, and often times they feel like they don’t have a voice,” Brooks said.

Brooks said abuse as well as sexual assault can happen to anyone, not just children.

“This event is really to just encourage other people and encourage them to reach out to others,” Brooks said.

For survivors like Avery, raising awareness is a cause close to her heart.

“It’s an issue that needs to be rectified,” she said. “We need to do something about this and stand strong.”

Those who attended the candlelight enjoyed live music and heard testimony from survivors.

Organizers said it was not only for survivors of abuse, but to anyone wanting to take a stand against it.

This is the third year for this candlelight ceremony.