MARQUETTE, MI-- A group formed to educate the public about what is and what is not consent is rallying in Marquette Thursday.
The We Are the Marquette Movement was cofounded by Jill Simms and Hannah Syrjala. The group has created T-shirts saying “silence is not consent,” which is also the title of the rally.
Simms says the event aims to let people know the survivors of sexual assault won’t be quiet any more.
“When it comes to our bodies, it’s our bodies and it shouldn’t be assumed that people can touch them or assume that they’re allowed in your bubble without your express consent. We’re trying to shift the burden from blaming victims to making perpetrators accountable for not respecting our bodies,” she says.
The rally will take place at 6 p.m. on the steps of the Marquette County Courthouse.
Syrjala says the movement wants survivors of sexual assault to know they’re not alone. She says, “Just because you didn’t say no doesn’t mean that you meant yes.”
