Anti-violence rally returns to Mississauga

The annual anti-violence rally and march, Take Back the Night happens this month in Mississauga.

Take Back the Night is an annual event held to increase awareness and support of women and gender diverse people’s right to live without the fear of violence, organizer, the Peel Committee Against Women Abuse, said in a press release.

It is the oldest worldwide movement that focuses on ending sexual violence.

“Take Back the Night is an incredibly powerful night of advocacy, community and solidarity. Together, women and gender-diverse folks march to reclaim space that continues to be dangerous for us,” said Rebecca Pacheco, development and education manager, Embrave: Agency to End Violence, Peel Committee Against Women Abuse coordinator.

“The power of using our voices together and demanding our safety is incredible. We deserve safety and will continue to march until gender-based violence is no longer a reality in our community.”

This year, the event will start on Thursday, Sept. 19, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Malton Community Centre, 3540 Morning Star Dr., Mississauga.

The event will begin with a community fair at the Malton Community Centre parking lot that will include community booths hosted by PCAWA member organizations and community partners.

People can learn about the supports and services these organizations offer to survivors of violence in the community.

Women, trans and gender-diverse folks will be invited to march together, sharing messages of strength, outrage and the need for systemic change. Cisgendered men will be invited to participate in an allyship activity to engage in meaningful conversation about the role they play in ending gender-based violence.

“Take Back the Night is a safe space for advocates and survivors to speak out against gender-based violence,” said Dhriti Chhabra, manager of Settlement Workers in Schools, Women’s Support and Seniors Programs, PCAWA special events planning committee co-chair.

“Our goal is to bring the community together to uplift the voices of survivors and highlight the issue of sexual violence in our community. It also provides us the opportunity to share important community resources to both support survivors and prevent future incidents of violence.”

If you are a survivor of violence in need of support, please contact Embrave: Agency to End Violence’s 24-hour Crisis Line at 905-403-0864 or 1-855-676-8515. You can also seek support from any of the Peel Committee Against Women Abuse member agencies. See the website here for more information.