Take Back the Night march in Guelph focuses on community support

A march against gender-based violence is happening on Thursday in downtown Guelph.

Guelph Wellington Women in Crisis’s Take Back the Night aims to raise awareness and foster solidarity. Cindy McMann, public educator for the organization, said there will be a self-defence workshop, guest speakers and live performances, among other things.

She said she hopes the workshop can help make people more confident in themselves.

“When sexual violence happens to us, then that is a human rights violation, so we are hopeful that this will be a workshop that just allows us to raise our voices a little louder in terms of asserting our own rights,” McMann said.

In a news release, the organization said rates of sexual violence and gender-based violence are higher than they’ve been in decades.

McMann said most cases go unreported and there’s still a culture of silence for a majority of people. She said assaults tend to occur by someone who we care about and trust and not by a stranger.

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She said people will often stay silent as a way of protecting themselves because they fear family or friends will turn on them, they won’t be believed or people will blame them for what happened.

McMann said the presence of other guest speakers at the rally and hearing their stories are really impactful because victims are reminded that they’re not alone and it’s not their fault.

“I think hearing other people’s stories can help build those connections and give violence a little bit more context,” she said.

The march will start on Gordon Street and go past city hall on Carden Street before looping around and coming back down Fountain and Gordon.

McMann said it’ll get underway about half an hour after the event begins and will be streamed on Facebook and Instagram Live for people who can’t attend.

She said Take Back the Night has a history of being an event where people tend to leave feeling seen and being heard and supported, making them feel like they’re a part of a larger community.

McMann said the initiative is about community support.

“This is really about support and building a community of kindness and building a community of joy because we’re resisting violence and trying to change the world and make it a better place,” she said.

The event is from 6 to 7:30 p.m.