"Men, their rights and nothing more; women, their rights and nothing less." -Susan B. Anthony

The first Take Back the Night event began in England in 1877 as a women only protest against the violence and fear women encountered walking the streets at night. The first Take Back the Night March in the US was held in San Francisco in 1978 to protest violence against women, particularly sexual assault. Since then, Take Back the Night events have spread across the nation broadening in perspective and taking on many forms.

Take Back the Night and Rock Against Rape, 2015 Shatter The Silence. Stop The Violence.

One out of three women and 1 out of every 6 men have been beaten, forced into sex, or otherwise abused in their lifetime by someone they know.  Less than 50% are ever reported to the police.  Organizers of this years' Take Back the Night believe it's time to make a change. 

Rape, sexual assault, sexual abuse and domestic violence are often labeled "crimes of silence" because of low reporting rates and social discomfort with their public discussion.   This year's Take Back the Night events will provide an opportunity for men and women to come together to take a stand against violence and provide those who have been impacted with an opportunity to speak out and heal.  The Survivor Speak-Out, Take Back the Night March, and Rock Against Rape events provide us the opportunity to come together, share our stories, and raise our voices against violence.  All events are FREE and the community is invited to attend.

Who: MSU VOICE Center, Students Against Sexual Assault, Men Stopping Rape, Sexual Assault Counseling Center, Sigma Phi Epsilon, Help Center, and Chicks with Sticks
When:  Thursday, April 6, 2017   
Schedule of Events:

The VOICE Center's Take Back the Night March will begin with a rally on the N. Steps of the SUB at 7pm and the march will begin after the rally. Chicks with Sticks Bucket Drummers will be leading the march from the SUB, down 8th Street, turning on Main street and finishing at the Baxter Hotel for a celebration. The celebration will begin at 8pm and will feature food, a cash bar, live music, and an auction.

There will be a shuttle bus running people from the Element Hotel downtown up to campus for the speak out (bus departs at 5:15pm) and the march (bus departs at 6:45pm).

The Survivor Art show will be in MSU's SUB Ballroom B all day on April 6th and 7th. It will have the FACES project, the Strength project, The Speak Project, and personal works of art submitted by survivors. The survivor speak-out starts at 5:30pm on April 6th and, as always, will be open to the public. 

Goal: To demand an end to sexual violence and provide those who have been impacted by violence a chance to speak out and heal.

The Clothesline Project art display

Our society often shames survivors of sexual assault into silence. The Clothesline Project is a visual display of t-shirts created by community members who have been impacted by violence as a way to "air out society's dirty laundry" and help give voice to their experiences. This project provides a unique opportunity for our community to see the epidemic of sexual assault that impacts 1 in 4 women and 1 in 17 men in Montana.

Why Take Back the Night?

Historically, women faced the anxiety of walking alone at night and that is why Take Back the Night began. Although almost 90% of sexual assaults are committed by someone the victim knows, we still believe the Take Back the Night March is an important opportunity to support the survivors in our community and demand an end to sexual violence.

Why Rock Against Rape?

Rock Against Rape is an annual event organized by Men Stopping Rape and Sigma Phi Epsilon. They believe that men play an important role in sexual violence prevention, and they seek to involve the MSU & Bozeman community in this discussion. Rock Against Rape is a fun way for students and community members to come into contact with our message, and start thinking about how they can stand up against sexual violence, support survivors, and be a force for positive social change.

"Never let the hand you hold, hold you down." -Author unknown