The annual Take Back the Night March and Rally set for Friday, Sept. 20 is an event to demand an end to all forms of violence against women.
This will be the 33rd annual event held in Prince George and will take place at Canada Games Plaza, starting with guest speakers at 6:30 p.m. The march starting at 7 p.m. will see women and children walk the streets of downtown Prince George.
The first Take Back the Night on record occurred at the International Tribunal on Crimes against Women in 1976 in Brussels, Belgium, and soon swept across the globe to protest violence against women everywhere.
“In the simplest sense the march is about the fact that we as women might be afraid to walk the streets at night for fear of physical violence or verbal assault and that’s not just in Prince George, BC, that could happen anywhere in the world,” said Halee Sturgeon, Harmony House second stage program manager, and one of the organizers of the event. “And in a larger sense the walk is a call to demand an end of violence against women, non-binary people, two-spirit people, on a global scale. And as far as the name goes it’s about the fact that we don’t feel safe at night and that’s wrong."
The local event sees a collaboration between many like-minded non-profit organizations as they come together to help raise awareness of how vulnerable women are in society.
“I work at Harmony House, which is like a baby sister to Phoenix Transition Society, so I work with women who are pregnant or early parenting. I work with women who are struggling with mental illness or substance misuse and that is directly related to abuse, because it’s no secret that substance misuse and addiction often begins because people are trying to treat some sort of trauma.”
Sturgeon is also collaborating with Phoenix Transition Society, the Northern Women’s Centre at UNBC and the Elizabeth Fry Society, who are all big supporters of women in Prince George.
“It’s really neat to collaborate with all of these women for the common goal of ending men’s violence against women,” Sturgeon said. “We should feel safe absolutely anywhere in the community. I am a runner and I love to run outside and it’s sad that I have to plan my run around when it’s going to be light outside or be afraid that something is going to happen to me. As a young woman I think that’s completely wrong.”
During the event at Canada Games Plaza everyone is welcome to attend, Sturgeon added. Then women, those who identify as women, and children will march in the streets of downtown Prince George.
“I think that it’s super important for everyone to know they are welcome to attend,” she added. “This event is intended for women to take the forefront, to walk the streets and feel safe in this big group of like-minded people.”
The 33rd Annual Take Back the Night march is also an event to honour the memory of the women who have not survived violence so there will be a moment of silence at the Courthouse in the heart of downtown.
The organizers are encouraging everyone to bring signs to make a statement during the event but it’s not mandatory.
The Take Back the Night website suggests phrases for signs like 'Stop the Violence! Women Unite! Take Back the Night! Shatter the Silence!'
The schedule of events includes speakers at Canada Games Plaza at 6:30 p.m., the march downtown starts at 7 p.m. and then the Thirsty Moose Pub at the university is hosting an open mic at 8:30 p.m. to continue the evening’s theme.
“We’re hoping to end the evening on a positive note where people will come away feeling empowered,” Sturgeon said.
For more information visit the Take Back the Night Facebook page.
