TBTN’s history spans over half a century. Decades ago in Europe, women from many countries met together as a tribunal council to discuss women’s safety when walking down public streets. In 1973, TBTN goers protested pornography in San Francisco, and serial murders of women of color in Los Angeles. In October 1975, a march was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania after the murder of microbiologist Susan Alexander Speeth, who was stabbed to death while walking home alone.“Take Back the Night” was used as the title of a 1977 memorial read by Anne Pride at an anti-violence rally in Pittsburgh. One of our Board members, Laura Lederer, named her book Take Back the Night, published by Harper Perennial on September 1, 1980.Canadians held one of their first marches to protest sexual violence in 1978 in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Vancouver Rape Relief held Take Back The Night® marches from 1980-1985
-From the TBTN website on the history of the event
Take Back the Night is an event aimed at bringing attention to and ending sexual and gender based violence. The Gender Issues Centre holds an event in October each year with speakers, a march based around the principle of ending sexual and gender based violence, and a discussion group for men. The speakers at TAke Back the Night have included Dr. Lori Chambers of the University’s Women’s Studies Department, Kaitlyn Fortier from Centr’elles, and Melody McGregor an Outreach Nurse at the Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence Treatment Centre among many others.
Here is a link to the opening remarks from the 2014 ceremony.
Check out our Facebook album here for photos of past marchs