The annual Take Back the Night forum was held last night in Pearson 104, followed by a rally on the roof of Tisch Library and performances by Tufts a cappella groups Essence and the Jackson Jills.
Organized by the Tufts Feminist Alliance (TFA) and the Women's Center, the Tufts event was part of a larger program that originated in England to protest the fear that women face walking the streets at night.
The event has evolved into an annual international rally and march that seeks to unify women, men and children in an awareness of violence against women, children and families.
The first Take Back the Night rally in the U.S. took place in San Francisco in 1977. Tufts' Women's center brought the rally to the University in 1979.
At the beginning of the event, participants were divided into groups to discuss issues such as fund allocation, potential new programs for violence prevention, the best way to get men involved, and effective methods of monitoring the progress of the program.
When the groups reconvened, participants discussed giving more money to campus media, bringing past victims of sexual violence to come to campus to give talks and share experiences, and asking the Women's Studies office to take on a bigger role in promoting awareness.
Other topics discussed included the need to address the misconception that sexual violence is a problem that only affects women, and the need for a higher rate of male involvement in campus efforts to curb sexual assaults and violence.
After the forum concluded, the participants marched from Pearson to the roof of Tisch Library.
