Take back the night and rise against fear and violence
Take Back the Night (TBTN) is a yearly international event to raise awareness about sexual violence and to support survivors.
Events first began in Belgium and England in the ’60s with protests about women not being safe walking down the street alone. Similar protests happened in the ’70s. In Philadelphia, citizens held a march to protest the murder of a microbiologist walking near her home after work. In San Francisco, rallies were held in protest of violent pornography and violence against women.
Early marches were exclusively comprised of women to symbolize women’s walks through the darkness of the night and demonstrated that women can unite to resist fear and violence. Now, most protests not only include men, but include men who are survivors and allies. Some marches are still exclusive to women, which has caused debate on whether this exclusion ignores the stories of male survivors. Nevertheless, the unifying theme of past events is the protest of sexual violence and support for survivors with documented events in over 36 countries.
In 2001, Katie Koestner reached out to early event organizers and participants about uniting efforts and sharing their history which solidified the Take Back the Night Foundation, which is a 100 per cent volunteer-run organization. According to the TBTN website, Koestner was the first woman in the United States to speak out publicly and nationally about surviving campus “date” rape. This organization has provided resources, funding, and healing to individuals and communities, and offers survivors within the United States an intake form for free legal assistance if they are in a situation requiring such.
TBTN aims to stop sexual violence. Sexual violence is an umbrella term that includes any non-consensual sexual acts. This includes, but is not limited to sexual assault, sexual abuse, intimate partner sexual violence, sexual harassment, sexual exploitation, and coercion.
Worldwide, one in three women and one in six men will experience sexual violence, but less than 50 per cent of these cases will be reported. Sexual violence is a vastly underreported crime. In recent years there has been an increase in reports of sex-related crimes in Guelph. For example, according to the “Guelph Police Service 2016 Annual Report” sexual assault reports increased from 63 in 2015 to 106 in 2016.
The purpose of TBTN events is to create safe communities and bring awareness to the issue of sexual violence. This is done through sharing stories, supporting survivors, reclaiming the streets, and uniting.
Guelph-Wellington Women in Crisis organized the first Guelph TBTN event in 1987 and continues to host rallies each year. Their poster advertising the event reads: “Come and march with us, Survivors and Allies, Unite in Solidarity. Reclaim our Streets.” The main event in Guelph will take place on Thursday, Sept. 27 at 6 p.m. and begins in Marianne’s Park. Attendees will march up Gordon Street and into the downtown core to rally against relationship, interpersonal, and sexual violence.
There will also be a TBTN-themed event each night of the week leading up to the main event on Thursday, Sept. 27. This year’s event will include:
- Yoga at Marianne’s Park
- Sign and button making with the LGBTQ+ Youth Group of Guelph
- Skate night at the Guelph Skatepark
- Sexuality wellness workshop on the U of G campus
After the march, the event will feature both spoken word and musical performances, as well as a keynote speaker that will share their personal story of survival, courage, and bravery.
Photo By Alora Griffiths and Courtesy of Google Maps