Hundreds of people gathered in front of the Wallace McCain Student Centre yesterday to voice their concerns over how the university handles reports of sexual assault on campus.

Organizer Michelle Roy, along with a number of other speakers, addressed the crowd, one of the largest to gather for a protest in recent memory.

It was Roy’s Instagram post of last weekend — directly calling out Mount Allison University for its role in perpetuating sexual violence at the school— that set off the chain of events leading to Thursday’s gathering.

“People started flooding in with messages with their experience of sexual violence at Mount Allison. And I quickly realized the problem was so much bigger than I could have ever anticipated. And I want to take this moment to thank every single person who messaged me, whether you wanted me to share your story or keep it between us, every single one of you guys made an impact. I keep saying I’m not the brave one here. You guys are. All I did was take a photo and post it on Instagram. It’s you guys sharing your stories that light the fire of this movement.”

Out of the hundreds of people in the crowd, CHMA was able to speak with some to hear their reasons for showing up. For some, the outpouring of stories of sexual assault had shocked them. For others, they had personal experience of either themselves or their friends affected by sexual violence. One person spoke of the difficulty of seeing perpetrators of assaults on campus, even as friends are sometimes forced to leave because of the ensuing trauma an assault causes. “We lose our friends, because of them,” she said.

Here are some of those voices, and please be warned, some are painful to hear:

Please note that the South East Sexual Assault Crisis Centre has a 24/7 crisis phone line available at 1-844-853-0811.

Local MLA Megan Mitton was also in the crowd. “I wanted to show my solidarity with survivors of sexual violence,” said Mitton. “And I wanted to listen and learn more about what students are saying is happening and what they’re calling for.”

“I applaud the students and survivors who have centred this issue, and have amplified the stories of survivors, to ensure that this is what we’re talking about today… They’re demanding accountability and justice and I fully support those calls,” said Mitton.

Mitton said there a role for the province to play in this issue.

“I have been doing a jurisdictional scan, looking at what’s happening in other provinces and other places. In some cases, there may be funding from provincial government to ensure adequate resources to address sexual assault, some provinces may have a law that requires that universities have these policies. What we need, I think, is to ensure that the student voices are heard in developing these policies.”

Mount Allison Students’ Union president Jon Ferguson was also at the protest, speaking to the crowd on behalf of the union. He said he’s confident that students have been heard.

“If Mount Allison hadn’t heard our voices already with everything that was going on in social media, they certainly have today,” said Ferguson.

MASU issued a statement earlier this week with some demands including that an outside, third party be called in to assess the situation at Mount Allison and make recommendations.

“I’m looking forward to seeing the plan to make sure that’s part of it,” said Ferguson. “Because obviously, Mount Allison has shown that doing things completely internally isn’t working right now.”

“I’m confident that they’ve heard us and that they’re going to change things,” said Ferguson. “But most importantly, I’m proud of our community and everyone that showed up here today. This goes to show how committed we are to making sure that our health, and the health of those after us, both physically and psychologically, is put first and foremost.”

“This is going to become, one way or another, a safe campus,” he said.

Michelle Roy is also hopeful that the university is on the cusp of substantial change. She says Thursday’s protest made her feel heard and empowered. Before she handed over the mic, Michelle Roy challenged everyone in the crowd to take back their campus, but also to reflect on their own role in perpetuating violence and rape culture.

“We are here to take back campus. We’re here to take back the streets we walk on, the classrooms in which we learn, the libraries in which we study, the residences we live in, and the fields that we play on…

Recently, I wrote a feminist manifesto for a class assignment. I spent a lot of time reflecting on what it meant for me to be a feminist and an activist. I came to the conclusion that a big part of being a feminist and a good activist is accepting that you may have been wrong at some point.

I want everybody to take some time during this protest and to reflect on the role that they have played in perpetuating rape culture on campus. Did you laugh at a bad joke? Did you not believe a survivor? Did you protect your friends or your teammates? The list could go on. I ask that you acknowledge the harm that you may have caused, and take on the role of someone who is dedicated to ending rape culture on your campus and all around you.

I’m here to say to Mount Allison survivors, we believe you. Thank you.

Please note that the South East Sexual Assault Crisis Centre has a 24/7 crisis phone line available at 1-844-853-0811.