Today marks the return of the annual “Take Back the Night,” a sexual assault awareness march and rally hosted by Portland State’s Women’s Resource Center.
The event, which starts at 6 p.m. and is in conjunction with Sexual Assault Awareness Month, includes a march to the South Park Blocks, testimonies from survivors of sexual or domestic violence, a rally and an interfaith vigil. Event organizers say the event provides a safe space and a place for survivors to regain some power that may have been taken from them.
Performances by the Sprockettes, a mini-bike dance troupe, and local hip-hop artist Kritik, are scheduled for the event. The Women’s Resource Center (WRC) hopes the event will encourage people to take a stand against sexual violence.
New this year is “Bike Back the Night,” a community bicycle ride, which is a prelude to the events on campus. Bike Back the Night is a collaboration between the PSU Bicycle Cooperate and the Portland Women’s Crisis Line. Riders can check in at 4:30 p.m. at Colonel Summer’s Park and then ride to PSU at 6 p.m.
“The purpose of this event is to bring awareness to sexual assault and the fact that we live in a rape culture, a culture that contributes to patriarchal and heterosexist values which feed into rape and sexual violence,” said Melanie Smith, events coordinator for the WRC.