Written by Skylar Neuber | Archived Nov. 10, 2020

The Women’s Resource and Action Center is hosting an event on Thursday, Oct. 11, to inform citizens about sexual assault and stand by those who have lived through such experiences.

WRAC is organizing Take Back the Night for their fourth year in order to honor and empower women who have had their power taken from them.

A resource fair starts off the event at 6 p.m. in the Kirby Ballroom and serves as a rallying opportunity for participants to get energized and excited about the march, which takes students around the campus. At 7 p.m. the marching commences at the Bus Hub.

“We continue to do it because it empowers so many folks to feel comfortable telling their stories,” Jade Moorse, a fourth-year student and intern with WRAC, said.

Anyone is welcome to volunteer, speak, and/or participate in the event. The most important aspects of participation are ally-ship and respect, as expressed by Moorse.

Moorse explains how the experience of being in a space of survivors and strong people who are able to tell their stories is truly empowering.

“Being able to share stories, like your personal truth, to folks and having that kind of comfortability within even like a large group of people is just so powerful,” Moorse said.

Carley Madden, an intern with WRAC, emphasizes the importance of experiencing Take Back the Night as an opportunity to recognize that sexual violence is occurring all around us.

This year, the Femicide Report will be read during the march to continue to empower the names of victims.

WRAC works to empower and educate students and staff of UMD as well as community members on the importance of topics from consent to sexual assault, and even provides a safe, comfortable place to speak freely.

You can join WRAC in taking back the night on Thursday, Oct. 11 at 6 p.m. in the Kirby Ballroom.