Buffalo's second annual Take Back the Night, a rally against rape and sexual assault, took place on Thursday at the Delaware Park Casino, featuring a march, poetry readings, survivors' stories and a candlelight vigil.
"Six colleges and eleven organizations are here to unite to take a stand and to Take Back the Night," said Dennis Black, vice president of student affairs, who was at the rally to represent the university. "Twenty million women in this county were raped. Every minute and thirty-seven seconds women are being raped or sexually assaulted."
State Sen. Byron Brown spoke about the crime of sexual violence on college campuses and the school communities. He said that he supported legislation that requires colleges to disclose information to students and their families about acts of sexual violence that take place on college campuses.
Some survivors of sexual violence presented poems and stories about their experiences.
Just an hour before the floor was opened up to the guests of the Take Back the Night event, the main speakers of the night, Chris Spicer and Dana Neitlich of Planned Parenthood of Buffalo and Erie County, spoke about how men can help prevent sexual violence and restrictions of freedom.
He said that he blamed society for training males to become men by teaching them to "assert dominance and masculinity during sex."
Take Back the Night is an international rally that first began in Germany in 1973 as a means to unite the community and bring people's attention to issues such as rape and sexual assault, according to Patricia Yu, the events coordinator of UB's Anti-Rape Task Force.
The night began with a march sponsored by Sub-Board I that featured representatives from different fraternities and sororities, various student clubs, and students from over six area colleges, including UB and Buffalo State College. Residents within the community also participated in the march that traveled down Bidwell Parkway.
Photo: Meredith Forrest Kulwicki
