University News

Annual Take Back the Night Rally Set for Oct. 21

October 20, 2021

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MACOMB, IL – Western Illinois University's Women's Center will host its 32nd annual Take Back the Night rally, beginning at 4 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 21 in front of Sherman Hall.

The Take Back the Night rally is held to increase awareness of -- and seek an end to - sexual assault, dating and domestic violence, stalking and other forms of sexual and power-based interpersonal violence, as well as to remember and honor victims and survivors. The theme for this year's event is "Shatter the Silence, Stop the Violence."

"A huge thank you to our WIU and community partners for their support of this mission," said Women's Center Graduate Assistant Haley Rednour. "We must continue to work every day to 'shatter the silence and stop the violence.'"

The Take Back the Night rally will mark the culmination of campus events planned as part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. T-shirts and other items will be sold during the week leading up to the rally to raise money for the Western Illinois Regional Council-Community Action Agency, a local agency which supports survivors.

The rally will include a march from Sherman Hall to Macomb's Chandler Park, where creative performances and stories of survival will be shared.

Other events planned in the week leading up to the rally include:

• Tuesday, Oct. 19, 1-4 p.m. in the Women's Center: The Clothesline Project and t-shirt making – a visual, interactive, awareness-building event where shirts of differing colors are displayed on a clothesline to signify different forms of abuse.

• Wednesday, Oct. 20, 4-6 p.m., Women's Center lounge: Community Take-Back: A social event with fun and healing activities held to build community.

Staff from the University Counseling Center will be available at all of the events to provide support.
Part of the mission of WIU's Women's Center is to promote opportunities to celebrate women, collaborate in programming and outreach, and seek unity and understanding. The Take Back the Night Planning Committee, composed mostly of student volunteers, has been working with WIRC-CAA Victim Services, various student organizations and WIU departments to bring the campus together to raise awareness for a ubiquitous issue.

For more information about the Women's Center, visit wiu.edu/wc.





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