WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield Women’s Center will hold its annual Take Back the Night march and rally against sexual violence during Sexual Assault Awareness Month. 

WHEN: 7-9 p.m. Friday, April 16, 2021

WHERE: UIS Student Union North Patio

DETAILS: Take Back the Night is an opportunity to raise awareness about sexual violence and for students to express themselves as survivors and allies. This year’s event will be held completely outdoors in order to follow COVID-19 safety protocols.  

Students will gather on the Student Union North Patio before the event starts to create posters with supportive messaging. The march will begin shortly after 7 p.m. The march will travel throughout campus ending back at the Student Union North Patio. After the march, a slate of scheduled speakers will kick off the event, followed by an open mic where students, faculty and staff in attendance can share stories, poetry and messages of solidarity. 

Take Back the Night is the culmination of 10 days of events that began with the Sexual Assault Awareness Month Day of Action on April 6 and has also included poster making, a workshop series and student-led events. 

The Take Back the Night march and rally has been an annual event on the UIS campus for the past 13 years.

For more information, contact Rexann Whorton, UIS Women’s Center program director, at 217-206-7197 or rwhor2@uis.edu.