Take Back the Night returns to promote sexual assault awareness, prevention

Trine University will host its annual Take Back the Night rally and march to inform and educate the community about sexual assault, with the ultimate goal of prevention.

The event, held as part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, will take place beginning at 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 19, in the MTI Center, and will culminate in a march down Thunder Drive.

Representatives from local organizations such as the Northeastern Center, Bowen Center and Cameron Memorial Community Hospital will speak and provide education resources about sexual assault and domestic violence.

The mission of Take Back the Night is to raise community awareness about sexual harassment and assault, which impacts more than 80% of women and more than 40% of men, according to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center. The event also supports survivors of physical, sexual or emotional assault.

The first Take Back the Night was held in 1977 in England, and was a women-only protest against the violence and fear women encountered while walking alone at night. The movement spread from England to San Francisco in 1978, and from there has grown across the country, particularly among college campuses.

Take Back the Night is hosted by the Trine Office of Student Services.

For more information, contact Jessica Taylor, student health and wellbeing advocate, at 260.665.4947 or taylorj@trine.edu.

Community resources

Trine University encourages anyone who is a victim of domestic violence, intimate partner violence, sexual assault or rape to reach out to one of the following resources:

• TLC House Indiana, tlchouseindiana.org, (260) 624-2274
• Community Anti-Violence Alliance (CAVA) of Angola: (260) 624-3600
• YMCA of Northeast Indiana: https://ywcanein.com/domestic-violence-services
• Rape Crisis Hotline: (800) 441-4073 (24/7 rape crisis hotline and safe shelter)
• Fort Wayne Sexual Assault Treatment Center: www.fwsatc.org. For emergencies, contact (260) 423-2222
• Angola Victims Assistance: (260) 668-1000 ext.2430, or http://www.co.steuben.in.us/departments/prosecuting_attorney/victim_assistance.php
• Rape Abuse and Incest National Network: rainn.org/
• National Child Abuse Hotline/Childhelp: (800) 4-A-CHILD (800-422-4453) or childhelp.org
• National Dating Abuse Helpline: (866) 331-9474 or loveisrespect.org
• The National Domestic Violence Hotline (800) 799-7233 (SAFE) or ndvh.org
• Domestic Violence Hotline: (800) 733-SAFE (7233) or www.thehotline.org
• Male Survivors: malesurvivor.org
• Joyful Heart Foundation: joyfulheartfoundation.org
• Hazing: stophazing.org
• National Human Trafficking Resource Center/Polaris Project: (888) 373-7888, text HELP to BeFree (233733) or polarisproject.org
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (800) 273-8255 (TALK) or suicidepreventionlifeline.org