Monday, September 24, 2007

Take Back the Night

Tuesday, September 25, 2007
6 p.m. Rally and Vigil at Dunn Meadow
8 p.m. Speak Out at Bloomington Court House

Take Back the Night is an annual march and rally against sexual assault and domestic violence. The event features live music and speakers followed by a candlelight vigil and speak out honoring victims and survivors. All proceeds raised go directly to Middle Way House, a domestic violence and sexual assault crisis service center located in Bloomington.

Take Back the Night aims to empower and educate members of the campus and community into a unified movement advocating for women’s safety. It is an internationally known event that has been occurring in communities across the globe since the 1970’s. Locally, it is organized on the Indiana University campus by various student groups.

According to statistics provided by the Middle Way House website, one out of every four women is a victim of domestic violence at least once in her lifetime. Further, a woman is raped in the United States every 41 seconds with 50 percent of victims falling between 12 and 24 years of age.

Sponsors of the event include the Office of Women’s Affairs, the Women’s Student Association, the Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance, Raising Awareness of Interactions in Sexual Encounters (RAISE), Friends of Middle Way House, IU Men’s Coalition, Theta Nu Xi, and Sigma Lambda Upsilon/Senorita Latinas Unidas Sorority, Inc.