Campus & Community

Showing Support for Take Back the Night 2019

Tuesday, February 19, 2019, By Teagan Cyan Peacock

Take Back The Night 2018

This year’s Take Back the Night, an annual march, rally and speak-out event, is scheduled for Wednesday, March 27, at 7 p.m. in Hendricks Chapel.

Take Back the Night is observed throughout the world as an event that unites communities bringing awareness to sexual, relationship and all other forms of interpersonal violence. The University’s march, rally and speak-out event is a collaboration of campus and community members denouncing all forms of violence in hopes to raise awareness and spark meaningful conversation surrounding the actions and attitudes that perpetuate violence.

Take Back the Night is an event the campus community takes pride in, especially for the students on the Take Back the Night committee who plan the majority of the event.

“To me, Take Back the Night means having a safe space to speak out and support those who have been affected by sexual and domestic violence,” says Vanessa D. Ramlal ’19, Take Back the Night committee co-chair and senior in the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics. “Take Back the Night is an event where those affected feel a sense of unity and empowerment and for others to be aware of ways they can be an advocate.”

The rally and march provide a forum for members of the community to unite and proclaim that violence must end. The speak-out that follows is a smaller, private gathering where individuals have the opportunity to talk in a safe space about how violence has impacted their lives and to talk with one another about what each of us can do to work to end violence.

Faculty, staff, students and student organizations can contribute to the cause and are encouraged to show support by doing the following:

  1. Attending the event on Wednesday, March 27, at 7 p.m. in Hendricks Chapel.
  2. Encouraging your organization, group or office/department to fill out the  and officially endorse Take Back the Night by signing the poster and emailing a picture of the completed poster (with or without your group members in the picture) by Friday, March 8, at 4 p.m.
  3. Purchasing a Take Back the Night 2019 T-shirt. The T-shirts can be pre-ordered at the Schine Box Office until March 8 for $10. All proceeds benefit resources for victims and survivors and education and prevention programs.
  4. Participating in the #IWillTBTN campaign by sharing how you will support Take Back the Night on star cutouts and posting on social media.
  5. Distributing pledge cards to your group, organization or department members and encourage them to attend.

For more information, questions or volunteering opportunities, visit the Office of Health Promotion website, or email healthpromotion@syr.edu.