Gulf Coast W.A.V.E. Hosts Walk Across Biloxi Bay Bridge

Friday night, hundreds of men and women walked across the Biloxi Bay Bridge with the Gulf Coast W.A.V.E. organization.

W.A.V.E. stands for Women Against Violence Everywhere, and was formed after a woman was sexually assaulted on the Biloxi Bay Bridge last week. W.A.V.E. is partnering with the Gulf Coast Women’s Center for Nonviolence to show support for the victim of last week’s attack, and to advocate for women across the Coast. Their message Friday night was it can happen to anyone, anywhere.

Stephanie Piper, Sexual Assault and Prevention Coordinator for the Gulf Coast Women’s Center for Nonviolence, says, “Someone can be sexually assaulted in their house, they can be sexually assaulted in their car, they can be sexually assaulted at the grocery store, at their job, they can be sexually assaulted anywhere. There is no safe place that a person cannot be sexually assaulted. If a person wants to rape someone and they have the opportunity, a rapist will target a victim, watch them over time, and wait for that right opportunity to sexually assault them.”

The Gulf Coast Women’s Center for Nonviolence encourages both men and women to get involved and to learn about the resources offered on the Coast.