Take Back the Night to mark 20 years in Toledo

April 22, 2014 | Events, UToday, — Languages, Literature and Social Sciences

By Aimee Portala

Take Back the Night, an event that addresses and protests all forms of violence against women, has been raising awareness for 20 years in the Toledo area.

This year’s Take Back the Night will be held Saturday, April 26, on Scott Park Campus. Doors open at 6 p.m. with the main programs beginning at 7 p.m. The event is part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, sponsored by UT’s Sexual Assault Education and Prevention Program.

Students looked at shirts that are part of the Clothesline Project, which was on display last week in the Student Union as part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. The Clothesline Project also will be part of Take Back the Night.

“We are celebrating 20 years of a collective of women fighting for the end of violence against women. Sadly, this also means after 20 years, Toledo still has a need for this event, meaning that violence against women is an issue that has not seen improvement,” said Alcy Barakat, a graduate student in the Department of Public Health and Preventative Medicine, and a volunteer for Take Back the Night.

Displays will include the Clothesline Project, where shirts decorated for women affected by violence serve as a testimony to the problem, and the Silent Witness Project, a global activist movement commemorating women who had their lives ended violently by a partner or acquaintance.

“It’s a great opportunity for the campus community to raise awareness about violence against women and the resources available,” said Angela Spoerl, manager of the Sexual Assault Education and Prevention Program. “It’s also a way to extend support to survivors not only on UT’s campus, but in the Toledo community as a whole.”

A free shuttle will leave the UT Transportation Center at 5:30 p.m. and will return to Main Campus at approximately 11 p.m. Free child care also will be provided at the event.

Sexual Assault Awareness Month extends across campus. Charlene Gilbert, professor and chair of the Department of Women’s and Gender Studies, teaches Feminist Approaches to Social Problems, where students design and implement social campaigns using feminist theory. One group is attempting to start a Wear Red for Intimate Partner Abuse Awareness campaign on the UT campus.

“This campaign is a great way to engage and educate college students on how to recognize healthy and unhealthy relationships,” Gilbert said.

For more information about Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Take Back the Night, visit utoledo.edu/studentaffairs/saepp, toledotakebackthenight.org or facebook.com/TBTNToledo.