The Take Back the Night march and rally took over downtown Belleville Thursday night.
The event is put together by multiple organizations to bring awareness to sexual violence.
“The goal of it is to amplify the voices of survivors and really draw attention to sexual violence that’s happening locally and globally,” Natalie O’Toole with the Three Oaks Foundation tells Quinte News.
“We started with a rally, then we ended with a vigil, and in the middle, we had a march.”
The march, part of other marches taking place across the world, is put together by multiple organizations including Three Oaks Foundation, the Sexual Assault Centre for Quinte and District, Community Advocacy and Legal Centre, the Domestic Violence Sexual Assault Response Program & Victim Services and Red Cedars Shelter in Shannonville.
“We draw on people who might just know of Three Oaks, who might just know of the Sexual Assault Centre for Quinte and District and so on. So we get a lot of attention that way,” O’Toole said.
“We have a bunch of service providers here tonight, which is really great. We’ve had agency resources here as well that’s available. There may be clientele here, there’s definitely survivors here, just because of the nature of the event and wanting to be here to show their support.”
Training and Education Coordinator of Three Oaks Foundation, Natalie O’Toole, speaking to the crowd at Market Square ahead of the Take Back the Night march through downtown Belleville. September 26, 2024. (Photo: Zach McGibbon/Quinte News)
Before marchers made their way through downtown, speakers addressed a crowd gathered at Market Square outlining the significance of the event. Speeches, as well as poems, were read to the crowd.
Following the rally, the march began from Market Square, turning onto Front Street, then turning right on Victoria Avenue, and making another turn at Pinnacle Street, before returning to Market Square.
During the march, there were signs and banners as well as chants calling for an end to sexual violence.
Take Back the Night march on Pinnacle Street. September 26, 2024. (Photo: Zach McGibbon/Quinte News)
Following the march, a vigil was held to cap off the night.
Sarah Dunkley, a volunteer with Take Back the Night and a member of the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte, was one of those who read a poem for the crowd.
She explained the overall themes of her poems.
“So a good majority of my themes are for women, violence against women, uplifting women, but people in general, as well as just being able to give positive messages,” Dunkley said.
“Almost all of my poems that I have written for Take Back the Night, even if they come out with the hard messages of the violence, they will always end in the positive message of the resiliency and how we have gotten here now.”
More information about Take Back the Night can be found at their website.
