The 25th annual Take Back the Night March and Rally will take place at 7PM, Saturday, April 17th, 2004 on the University of Michigan Diag area.

organized by the Ann Arbor Coalition against Rape (AACAR) and the University Women against Rape (UWAR)

This year�s keynote address will be given by an extraordinary survivor named Sara Ylen, whose story of survival and the aftermath of her sexual assault became a series of articles in the Port Huron �The Times Herald�. After the rally, attendees march through the streets of downtown Ann Arbor with voices raised in an act of solidarity to protest sexual victimization in all forms. During the march Men Against Violence Against Women will host an open dialogues as an alternative event for men.

 The first Take Back the Night rally in 1978 was organized as a demonstration against rape, sexual violence against women and pornography. Since then, women in Ann Arbor and nationwide have take to the streets in order to protest the impact of sexual assault on women. Although the Ann Arbor-Ypsilanti community has made remarkable steps in the past 25 years in providing services and support to survivors of sexual assault, recent funding and institutional changes, both in the county and at the University of Michigan, have greatly reduced the services provided to survivors. Although there remain exceptional services and support to survivors of sexual assault in our community, the severe reduction in the number of professionals who provide counseling, advocacy and crisis intervention has lead many to question community and university priorities. After so many years of progress why are such important services being eliminated?

 The struggle against sexualized violence is an arduous one, but we must continue to come together to inspire changes in our community and beyond. Take Back the Night recognizes the prevalence of assault by acquaintances and intimate partners, the impact of domestic violence, and the incidence of sexualized violence committed against children and men. AACAR and UWAR recognize that sexualized violence is primarily committed by men against women; however, we also affirm the reality that some men are survivors, some women are perpetrators, and there is violence in lesbian, gay, and transgender relationships. As such, AACAR and UWAR have again decided to make the march open to anyone who has experienced sexual victimization, their loved ones, and supporters who wish to add their voices in our demonstration.

Take Back the Night strives to provide an environment of healing, to raise awareness of the ways sexualized violence is a force used to perpetrate oppression, and to create a community free of sexualized violence. We hope all will join us in making this year�s Take Back the Night the most powerful ever!

 For more information, write [email protected] or call Nicole at 734.973.0242 x286. Write [email protected] for information about the alternative men�s event. Childcare is available during the event. Call for questions regarding accessibility.