Take Back the Night
Take Back the Night
Thursday, April 4, 2024
Baker Ballroom, Baker Center | 1 Park Pl, Athens, OH 45701
Take Back the Night is an annual event hosted by OHIO's Women's Center and Student Senate designed to promote awareness of sexual and domestic violence and is focused on the survivor experience.
Over the years, OHIO's Take Back the Night event, which is part of an international movement, has included a march through the town of Athens, inspirational speakers, artistic pieces and performances, healing ceremonies, and online awareness campaigns.
All members of the OHIO and Athens community, are invited to attend the event.
2024 Take Back the Night Schedule
- 6:30 pm: Doors Open
- 7 pm - 8 pm: Speakers
- 8 pm: March
Ways to Participate
As the event approaches, more ways to participate and concrete details will be available.
Recognize Diversity, Intersectionality, and Inclusion
We ask that anyone participating in Take Back the Night commit to on-going education and improvement as an ally to survivors. Take Back the Night is not just about this day, this event, or this moment. It is about creating a world that supports survivors always.
The organizers of Take Back the Night in Athens, OH are committed to diversity and inclusion. Take some time to consider how intersections of oppression and power have caused interpersonal violence to be perpetrated disproportionately against communities who are most marginalized.
We are committed to uplifting the voices of survivors. We also recognize that due to discrimination and safety concerns, there are many survivors that we may not hear from. We hold space to acknowledge those who are silenced and those who are no longer with us.
Rally and March
The Take Back the Night rally features speakers who will share, empower, and inspire to kick off the evening. Afterwards, participants will march through the streets of Athens, chanting and holding signs in support of survivors.
Become a Speaker
To share your story at this event, email the Women's Center at womenscenter@ohio.edu. Send a few sentences on what you would like to speak about regarding your unique survivor experience. Indicate in your email the best way to contact you back.
Social Media Posts
We encourage folk to participate by sharing their commitment to supporting survivors on social media.
Please be considerate of intersectionality, diversity, and inclusion. Please post from your perspective, and do not disclose other people’s experiences without their permission.
Things to consider before sharing your story
Hashtags
Our hashtags can help you frame your posts. Use them as a guide for content.
- #SurvivorsUniteTBTN: We encourage all posts to use the main this main hashtag. #SurvivorsUniteTBTN creates space to acknowledge that there is strength in visibility.
- #SupportSurvivorsBy
- #StartByBelieving
- #IWillWalkWithYou
Tagging
To represent our campus and community effort, please tag @ohiou, @OHIOwomencenter and @CityofAthensOH in your posts.
Participate Anonymously on Social Media
If you're not ready or able to participate in other ways, we would love for you to provide supportive messages that we can share anonymously with survivors through the Ohio University Women’s Center Twitter account (@OHIOWomenCenter) during the event.
Start By Believing Pledge and Documentary
Take the Start by Believing pledge online and post a selfie with it.
Watch the OHIO documentary Start By Believing: The Power of a Survivor-Centered Process Documentary. Learn about a survivor's experience here in Athens and encourage others to watch as well.
Sharing Your Story
We want to amplify the voices of survivors, and we also want to protect them. Before sharing your story, we encourage you to speak with an advocate who can help you consider:
Sharing publicly for the first time
Sharing, especially on social media, may be a quick decision in the moment that can have a lasting impact. While sharing can be freeing for some, that is not a guarantee. You may not have the support in place to navigate your emotional response. Even if you have shared before, sharing on social media can feel more permanent and public than sharing in other formats.
The risks of sharing online
Sharing online has risks, including (but not limited to) online bullying, permanence by way of screenshots/retweeting (which can make public your story in ways that you may not wish and cannot control), and emotional responses that you may not predict. You may report bullying or trolling behavior on many social media platforms. Please consider that we have events like Take Back the Night because in many ways we still exist within a culture that legitimizes sexual violence. Therefore, responses to our event may not always be positive and we may face backlash.
Defamation and lawsuits for naming a perpetrator
We don't recommend using a perpetrator's name unless the person has been convicted in a court of law. Free speech is protected, but with limitations. Sharing the name of people involved may result in legal ramifications, including litigation or defamation suits. Even when stories are anonymized, sharing information about location, date, etc., can be used to guess about parties involved.
You may wish to discuss with a legal advisor prior to making a decision about identifying others.
Making an official report
While participation in this event won't require you to make an official report, whatever you share during this event may become part of a pending or future investigation should you choose to report sexual misconduct to Ohio University or law enforcement.
Mandatory Reporting Exemption
Typically, most Ohio University employees who observe or learn of potential campus sexual misconduct legally must immediately report the alleged conduct to the Office for University Equity and Civil Rights Compliance (ECRC).
Take Back the Night, however, has received an exemption from mandated reporting in order to allow for full participation by all members of the campus community. Disclosures of incidents of sexual misconduct at this specified event will not be considered notice to Ohio University. Disclosures prior to the start and after the end time of the event are not exempt from mandatory reporting.
The Survivor Advocacy Program is always a confidential resource and exempt from mandatory reporting through the university.
You may still choose to report sexual misconduct to Ohio University or law enforcement at any time.
Sponsors
Take Back the Night is funded by Ohio University’s Student Senate and Women’s Center. It is co-sponsored by My Sister’s Place and Survivor Advocacy Outreach Program, as well as the following Ohio University offices: the Survivor Advocacy Program, Health Promotion, Counseling and Psychological Services, Graduate Student Senate, Center for Community Engagement and Housing and Residence Life.