As a movement to declare intimate partner violence an epidemic gains momentum, advocates are urging residents to actively show their support for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence by participating in this week’s Take Back the Night event.
The internationally staged event has been hosted locally in Cambridge since 2018 as a way to acknowledge victims of sexual violence – but there’s never been a more opportune time to heed the call to action.
That’s according to longtime rally organizer Kate Taylor, program director at the YWCA Cambridge - The W, which is set to host Cambridge’s Take Back the Night event Thursday.
With cities in Waterloo Region recently joining a province-wide push to proclaim intimate partner violence an epidemic, she knows it’s a perfect time to encourage greater participation within the community.
Taylor maintains the surge in support for victims of gender-based violence echoes the efforts of the annual march, which demands everyone should have the right to live and walk in their community without fear of violence. And she hopes the increased attention will boost community engagement.
“I think it's important that we can continue to build the awareness,” said Taylor. “It's important that we, as a community, we are coming together to speak out to show people that we care, we see them and to reclaim that right.”
This year's event holds particular significance as it serves as a reminder of the growing importance of bringing discussions surrounding gender-based violence into the public eye, where they can be addressed as matters of community safety. It’s become an increasingly relevant point after rates of domestic violence increased during the pandemic, and many victims of domestic violence found themselves confined to their homes with their abusers.
During the lockdown Take Back the Night was hosted virtually, but this year marks the second year it will return for a publicly held event since the pandemic.
For Taylor, it’s an extraordinary feeling to hold the rally again in-person because it provides an vital opportunity to stand shoulder to shoulder in support of survivors.
“I think now post-pandemic, it's about generating that awareness again and having people see that you're not alone going through that and that there's people that are there and they care and they're showing up.”
That community involvement is also imperative because the rates of violence against women, trans-women and gender-diverse folks are increasing, noted Taylor. It’s equally critical to acknowledge that Indigenous women and girls face extreme rates of violence in Canada, she added.
“We’re up to more than 5,000 missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit individuals, which is often missed or glossed over,” said Taylor. “And so I think bringing all of those pieces together and sharing that with the community is really important.”
This week’s march will see teens play an active role by helping lead the rally. Youth engagement is essential to break cycles of sexual and gender-based violence, noted Taylor, by educating children about social justice using age-appropriate language.
It’s one of the reasons The W offers school presentations and community-based programs, starting the conversation with children as young as seven and eight years old, providing a safe space and encouraging them to make connections with trusted adults.
The W will open its doors at 6 p.m. to community partner booths and family-friendly activities, including making signs and buttons and sidewalk chalking. The rally starts at 6:30 p.m. followed by a march around downtown Galt at 7 p.m. All genders are welcome.
For more information about Take Back the Night or to help support the initiative, visit YWCA Cambridge.
