Tri-College Take Back the Night to be Held at UD
Apr 5, 2017
DUBUQUE, Iowa – The third annual Tri-College Take Back the Night program will be held Wednesday, April 19, at 6:00 p.m. in Blades Chapel on the University of Dubuque campus to provide a safe place for survivors of sexual assault to share their stories and let others know they are not alone.
The event, part of an international movement to “take back the night,” is free and open to the public.
UD, Clarke University, and Loras College partnered with the Riverview Center to sponsor the event. This year is the first time UD has hosted the powerful event aimed at eliminating sexual violence. Students from all three colleges planned the event with help from college advisors and Riverview staff.
Tri-College Take Back the Night will kick off with speakers from the three colleges, followed by an open speak-out session opportunity for people to share their stories. The event will end with a candlelight vigil walk along University Avenue around the north campus of UD. Counselors will be on hand throughout the evening to provide support.
“Tri-College Take Back the Night is empowering for survivors of sexual assault and violence, because it gives them a voice to tell their own stories,” said April Elsbernd, adjunct faculty at UD and member of the program’s planning committee. “It is powerful to show survivors they are not alone and that there are many resources available to support them. It is important within the three college communities and the overall Dubuque community to raise awareness and recognize that sexual violence is an issue, but that we will fight to eliminate all sexual violence against women, men, and children.”
Take Back the Night, a volunteer-based charitable organization, seeks to create safe communities and respectful relationships through awareness events and initiatives throughout the world. Its mission is to end sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual abuse, and other forms of sexual violence. Take Back the Night events have occurred in over 30 countries worldwide with more than 600 campuses and communities holding such events. According to the organization’s website, over 30 million people have been reached with their message, support, and commitment to ending sexual violence.
For more information, contact April Elsbernd at aelsbernd@dbq.edu or Kim Hilby at khilby@dbq.edu.
