Calgary’s 27th annual Take Back the Night event will be held on Thursday, September 23, 2010 at 8pm in Connaught Park, 11 Street and 14 Avenue SW. Take Back the Night is an international movement designed to raise awareness about violence against women and to support the well-being of those who have been and are in abusive situations.
The evening will begin at 8pm with a rally featuring local speakers, musicians and artists. Attendees will then take to the streets for a march to symbolize the right women have to walk the streets and feel safe. The event will conclude with a speak-out where survivors and allies of all backgrounds will break the silence around gender-based violence and promote healing.
Tanya, one of the speak-out participants from last year’s event found her voice and broke the silence regarding her own sexual assault, "I find the message ‘Take Back the Night' very empowering, and the willingness to stand up and say 'this happens, and we’re not looking the other way anymore' so strong. I want other women, no matter what their experience with violence, to know that they are not alone. I am tired of being silent..."
Juliet Burgess, co-chair of the event’s planning committee remarks that "this year, attendees can expect an even more powerful Take Back the Night experience. It's 2010 and situations of violence against women continue to occur at an alarming rate right here in Calgary's communities. We encourage women from all walks of life to join us on September 23rd to mourn our fallen sisters and fight against continued violence that impacts not only women, but everyone that knows and loves a woman."
The march is inclusive to all women, female-identifying persons and children. Supportive men and boys over 12 are invited to attend the rally and march but are asked to respect the symbolism of women and children marching unescorted. During the march, males can be supportive by lining the parade route in a show of solidarity.
The first Take Back the Night event was held in 1976 in Belgium in an effort to demonstrate that women should be free to move about at night without fear of assault. Since then, Take Back the Night has been part of a grassroots movement in hundreds of cities around the world and has expanded to protest against all types of violence against women, including sexual assault and domestic abuse.
