The first Take Back the Night March was held in San Francisco in 1978 to protest violence against women, particularly sexual assault. The idea was for women to symbolically take back the streets of their communities, demanding that they be made safe for women and girls and challenging the "It’s not safe to go out after dark" curfew mentality imposed on females. The SSU march and rally will unite the campus and the community to speak out against sexual assault and assert women's right to live without fear of sexual violence.

Take Back the Night is the final event for Sexual Assault Awareness Month. This free event is open to all members of our community and will feature a performance by the Vagina Monologues cast, an opportunity for survivors and others affected by sexual assault to share their stories, and a candlelight march through campus.  Afterward, everyone is invited back to the HUB to discuss the impact of the event and to share pizza and soft drinks.

Anyone who wishes to have their story heard, but who doesn’t want to speak themselves, may submit their story in writing to be read at the event.  Stories may be dropped off at CAPS anonymously or e-mailed to laura.williams@sonoma.edu.  The name of the sender will be kept confidential.