A Take Back The Night rally and walk is happening on Friday, starting at Market Square.
Julia Church, Vice-Chair with the Stop Violence Against Women (VAW) Coordinating Committee of Perth County, said the event will include stations for creating posters and placards, and it will feature speaker Lisa Wilde, Executive Director at Emily Murphy Centre.
Church says a short walk around Market Square is a way of reclaiming the area as a safe space for women and women-identifying folks to exist and feel unafraid.
Take Back The Night is an international event and non-profit organization, aiming to end all forms of sexual, relationship, and domestic violence.
Church said in some ways, “we are very grateful that it is still happening and we have the framework that exists that we can step in and use it to create awareness in our own community.”
At the same time, she added: “We have to acknowledge that the need to have a rally, asking for and creating safe spaces, after all this time, is unfortunate.”
Guests can also learn about community resources. Some member agencies set to attend include OPP, Stratford Police, Family Services Perth Huron, Children’s Aid Society and Optimism Place.
“There are many member agencies and we all come together to raise awareness, take action and kind of brainstorm how we can improve the lives of women experiencing violence in our communities.”
Church said while the event aims to take up and create safe space for women and women-identifying folks, organizers would really love allies, too.
“Regardless of what gender you identify with, it really takes a whole community to end gender-based violence.”
The event starts tonight at 6:30 p.m.
