2008 Woodie Awards
Women fight for the night with protest
MTSU women's center hosts annual 'Take Back the Night' march Tuesday
Josh Daughtery
Issue date: 4/16/07 Section: News
Students fight fear and domestic violence with a rally and march to Take Back the Night on Tuesday night.
Take Back the Night is an international rally and march to protest conditions that cause women to feel unsafe when they are alone on the streets at night, according to information provided by the June Anderson Women's Center.
The origins of Take Back the Night are uncertain. However, it may have started as early as 1877 in London, England when women protested the fear and violence they encountered on the city's streets, according to the Take Back the Night headquarters Web site.
Others believe the first rally was not until 1976 in Belgium when women attending the International Tribunal on Crimes Against Women lit candles and began marching the streets to denounce violence against women.
Take Back the Night came to the United States in 1978 when protestors in San Francisco began using the saying following an anti-pornography conference.
Since then, Take Back the Night has spread across the nation. It began at MTSU in 1993 as part of the MTSU Sexual Assault Awareness Week, according to information provided by the JAWC.
This year's event would be held on April 17. Stephanie Compton, senior recording industry major and student employee at the JAWC said it starts off with a rally and then several guest speakers will talk to the crowd.
The speakers include Terri Johnson, director of the JAWC, Deborah Johnson, director of the Domestic Violence Program/Rape Recovery and Prevention Center and Rus Funk, advocate for social, gender, sexual and racial justice and educator.
Compton said once the speakers are done, there will be an open mic for anyone who wants to share their experiences, followed by a march around campus, ending with a candlelight vigil.
Courtney Miller, freshman recording industry major and student employee at the JAWC, said she would play her guitar during the open mic to support the victims of sexual violence.
Take Back the Night is an international rally and march to protest conditions that cause women to feel unsafe when they are alone on the streets at night, according to information provided by the June Anderson Women's Center.
The origins of Take Back the Night are uncertain. However, it may have started as early as 1877 in London, England when women protested the fear and violence they encountered on the city's streets, according to the Take Back the Night headquarters Web site.
Others believe the first rally was not until 1976 in Belgium when women attending the International Tribunal on Crimes Against Women lit candles and began marching the streets to denounce violence against women.
Take Back the Night came to the United States in 1978 when protestors in San Francisco began using the saying following an anti-pornography conference.
Since then, Take Back the Night has spread across the nation. It began at MTSU in 1993 as part of the MTSU Sexual Assault Awareness Week, according to information provided by the JAWC.
This year's event would be held on April 17. Stephanie Compton, senior recording industry major and student employee at the JAWC said it starts off with a rally and then several guest speakers will talk to the crowd.
The speakers include Terri Johnson, director of the JAWC, Deborah Johnson, director of the Domestic Violence Program/Rape Recovery and Prevention Center and Rus Funk, advocate for social, gender, sexual and racial justice and educator.
Compton said once the speakers are done, there will be an open mic for anyone who wants to share their experiences, followed by a march around campus, ending with a candlelight vigil.
Courtney Miller, freshman recording industry major and student employee at the JAWC, said she would play her guitar during the open mic to support the victims of sexual violence.
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