Hundreds of women walked Saturday in Toronto’s annual “Take Back the Night” event to raise awareness about sexual violence. This year’s event comes in the wake of a string of sexual assaults in downtown Toronto over the summer.
Following a community fair and rally featuring live music and speeches from survivors of sexual violence, the women-only march proceeded through Parkdale for several hours.
Be safe: use Walk Smart when travelling alone at night BERNARDA GOSPIC/THE VARSITY
“This night is important not only to create awareness of sexual violence, but to also empower survivors of sexual violence,” said Deb Singh, one of the event’s organizers.
Singh, who works for the Toronto Rape Crisis Centre, also emphasized that encouraging women to be more cautious is only half the battle.
“I think it’s really sad that we’re still talking this way about sexual violence and we’re not talking to men about stopping rape.”
This is “Take Back the Night’s” 32nd year in Toronto. The international movement began in 1975 in Philadelphia following the murder of a woman walking alone at night, and has since spread to numerous cities worldwide.
Although incidents of sexual assault in Toronto are down overall for the year, there have been several high-profile incidents near campus in the Annex and Kensington Market over July and August, all believed to be related.
Police say at least 10 women in those neighbourhoods have reported sexual assaults in the last two months. In each case the woman was walking alone at night and assaulted from behind by a stranger, making identification of the suspect difficult.
These incidents have propelled the topic of sexual violence against women back into the public consciousness. A community rally at Christie Pits Park, near where several of the assaults occurred, drew over 300 participants on just three days notice.
Despite the increased public awareness, not all the attention directed towards the victims has been encouraging.
Krista Ford, niece of Toronto mayor Rob Ford, ignited controversy following a tweet advising women not to “dress like a whore.” Ford’s tweet drew comparisons to a Toronto police officer’s comments last year that “women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not to be victimized.”
In response to Ford’s tweet Alice Moran, one of the women assaulted this summer, posted an open letter on her Facebook profile, addressed to “a lot of people, but specifically Krista Ford.” The polite but firm letter soon attracted media interest.
“I believe you have a right to your body and regardless of how you do or don’t dress it I believe you have a right to respect and personal security,” Moran wrote.
“I guess that’s the key difference in our thinking. You could wear a t-shirt that says ‘I’m literally asking for it’ and I’d still advocate for your security,” Moran continued. Ford has since apologized for her tweet.
Police warn individuals to take precautions as there may have been further unreported incidents.
Students concerned about their safety on campus are advised to use the Walk Smart service, which provides escorts to walk students home at night. Staff Sergeant Mike Caskenette of the university’s campus police also recommends that students with personal safety concerns to visit the Community Safety Office at 21 Sussex Ave.
