IU South Bend could be a safer place. That is the rationale behind the student organized event being held on Thursday, April 29, a Take Back the Night March.
Although part of a larger movement to make America’s streets safer, this march is very much centered on the campus, beginning at 8 p.m. in the courtyard on the west side of Wiekamp Hall, and visiting areas of IUSB that students consider less than secure.
Take Back the Night focuses on defining areas where there have been or could be incidents of gender-based violence. Although both men and women are welcome to march, women will be asked to head the march in a show of solidarity.
“If you don’t feel safe on this campus, come march with us, and bring it to the attention of campus security,” said Women’s Studies professor April Lidinsky to her Intro to Gender Studies class.
Lidinsky is the faculty advisor to both the Feminist Student Union and V-Club IUSB, which are partnering with the Counseling Center, the WOST Department and the YWCA in sponsoring this march.
“This is a very important night for us,” said FSU officer Jennifer Randall.
Randall, and FSU President Mo Pickar hope for a large turnout and invite all interested students to come and bring friends and family to make this a community event.
Beginning in 1976 in Belgium, according to the Take Back the Night website (www.takebackthenight.org), the first march had over 2000 women from 40 countries.
While the IUSB event will not be quite as big, the FSU hopes it will have an impact on campus security and bring attention to the problems of gender-related violence in our community with the slogan on their posters, “Shatter the silence, stop the violence, take back the night!”
Full disclosure: Rebecca Gibson is the Treasurer for the V-Club, and is taking the Intro to Gender studies class.
