The University News

Issue date: 4/13/09 Section: News

Media Credit: Kevin Bryce More than 185 students, staff, faculty and community members gathered for Take Back the Night.

Students, staff and community members held signs and chanted anti-violence slogans to the beat of drums in the Take Back the Night march last Tuesday.

More than 185 people marched from the UMKC Quad to the J.C. Nichols Memorial Park at the Country Club Plaza, openly taking a stand against violence.

"Let's show Kansas City who we are," Beth Savitzky, from Kansas City Anti Violence Project (KCAVP) said.

A drum performance by Women of the Drum, a drum ensemble courtesy of City In Motion under the direction of Regina Comperolle, helped increase excitement.

The Violence Prevention and Response Project and the UMKC Take Back the Night committee hosted a pre-rally, march and speak out at the UMKC Quad.

"It's good that young people are coming together and taking a stand for women who've hurt before and to make people aware that young people do care," Colleen Lucas, major in Studio Art, said.

Scott Laurent, director of Student Disability Services, attended the event to help accommodate disabled students.

"[I wanted to] Take a stand for helping greater awareness and ending violence in society," Laurent said.

Kristen McMillen, double major in Mass Communication and German, said she supports and stands for Take Back the Night because young people tend to forget how important these issues are.

"And as an international academic assistant for Residential Life, I feel there are so many countries that don't feel the same way as we Americans do and we should be leading the way and showing other countries," McMillen said. "We might be thinking that we are here just speaking on the megaphone and we do nothing but it does make a difference."

Guest speakers from Planned Parenthood of Greater Kansas City and Mid-Missouri, the Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault, and Rose Brooks Center for domestic violence also supported Take Back the Night.
"Take Back the Night has inspired both women and men to confront may social ills, including rape, sexual violence, domestic violence, violence against children and violence against women," Harper said. "The unifying theme of these topics is the assertion that all human beings have the right to be free from violence, the right to be heard, and the right to reclaim those rights if they are violated."

This is the fifth year UMKC has hosted Take Back the Night marches.

Refreshments, sponsored by UMKC's Alpha Delta Pi, The School of Computing and Engineering, the Activity & Programs Council, Rockhurst University, and Waldo's pizza, were served.

achittala@unews.com

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