Men and women join to Take Back the Night - September 28 Edition

Courtney Taylor

Cariboo Advisor

A group of more than 25 people shaking noisemakers walked through downtown Williams Lake Friday evening to protest abuse against women and children. 

The Violence Awareness & Prevention Committee, which is a committee of Community Policing, organized the local Take Back the Night event that was held in Williams Lake Friday night starting at 5 p.m.

Penny Stavast, a community based victim service program manager, lead the walk, which began at Boitanio Park and made its way through the streets to finish at Marie Sharp Elementary school and included not only women walking, but men as well.

Kelly Aitken and her five-year old daughter Zaidee were part of the group walking to the school. Aitken said she got off work early just to come to the walk.

“I grew up in a very poor neighbourhood, and saw abuse all the time,” said Aitken.

Aitken also thought it was very important cause to expose her daughter too.

Stavast says its clear from the attendance of the walk that more and more men are supporting women and child affected by relationship violence. She says it’s not just domestic violence, since violence and abuse can occur in any relationship.

At the wrap up for the event, food and musical entertainment was provided as well as a personal speech from Mayor Kerry Cook about what the event meant to her and she shared a personal story about helping a victim of abuse. She also made a plea to the community that as a whole we need to work at taking back the night.

Historically, women have always had anxiety while walking along at night, and that is why Take Back the Night began.

Take Back the Night events started in the early 1800’s, but more recently, the first TBTN event that occurred in the United States was in 1975. Women from India to New York are slowly shattering the silence and taking back the night in a fight against sexual and emotional abuse against women and children.

Michael Wynne participated in the Take Back the Night walk on Friday night to show his support for women who have to deal with abuse and fear.