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Associate Vice President for Student Services Jason Woods and Take Back the Night Planning Committee members are pictured above with Interim WIU Women's Center Director Lori Baker-Sperry, WIU President Jack Thomas, Macomb Mayor Mike Inman and WIRC-CAA Victim Services Director Diane Mayfield at the signing of the 2016 Take Back the Night proclamation. Pictured, from left (front row): Baker-Sperry, Thomas, Inman and Mayfield In the back row are Woods and Take Back the Night Committee Members Madie Dixon, Stephanie Hovsepian, Jerome Scott II, Lindsay Gleason, Shana Kessler, Megan Bowman, Amy Crosby, Becky Cox-Medina, Candace Wilson and Caitlin Fahey.
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Take Back the Night Rally Oct. 20

October 13, 2016

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MACOMB, IL – As part of a campaign of awareness, empowerment and fighting against sexual assault and other forms of gender-based violence, the 27th annual Take Back the Night (TBTN) march and rally will begin at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 20. This year's theme is "Teaming Up to End Violence."

The event begins with a resource table fair by campus and community offices and organizations at 6:30 p.m. in N-Lot, behind Hanson Field. Resources about violence prevention and support services available for victims and survivors, as well as sales of t-shirts and light sticks, will be available.

The TBTN planning committee is trying to reach out to as many students and student organizations as possible to "set a tone of collaboration and community to give everyone on campus a shared sense of responsibility for proactively working toward a solution," said event co-coordinator Candace Wilson, a graduate student in college student personnel.

The rally will begin at 7 p.m. with WIU President Jack Thomas and Macomb Mayor Mike Inman reading the event proclamation. The event will also include speakers, performers, a survivor speak-out and additional remarks by campus and community resource providers.

This year's keynote speaker is WIU Nursing Instructor Lindsay White, who is also a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) nurse.

After the main speaker, artistic performances and survivor comments, the marching group will light candles and march to Chandler Park, where more survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence will have an opportunity to share their stories.

Anyone who would like to participate, but is unable to walk the route, may contact the WIU Women's Center prior to the march to sign up to ride in a van that will be provided. In case of rain, the event will be held in the Sherman Hall third floor auditorium.

Participants may buy glow sticks for $1 each. TBTN T-shirts are $14 for WIU students and $15 for non-students. Victim Services and University Counseling Center staff and volunteers will be available at the march and rally to talk with participants if needed.

The event is organized by the WIU Women's Center and the Western Illinois Regional Council.

For more information, contact the WIU Women's Center at (309) 298-2242 or WIRC-CAA Victim Services at (309) 837-6622, or email womenscenter@wiu.edu.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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