20 September 2024 Take Back the Night

HWS annual event creates a safe space to share stories and awareness of sexual violence.  

The Hobart and William Smith Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX Programs & Services will host “Take Back the Night” on Monday, Sept. 30. to raise awareness about sexual violence.

The event will start at 6 p.m. on the steps of Coxe Hall with a keynote address by Associate Director for Disability Services Shanelle France, followed by a candlelight vigil and a march through campus. The event creates a safe space for individuals to share their stories and raise awareness about the impact of sexual violence in their communities. 

“Take Back the Night is the oldest worldwide movement against sexual violence, and HWS’ Office of Title IX Programs & Compliance proudly supports this movement to acknowledge and stand against sexual violence,” says Title IX Coordinator Amanda Jantzi. 

“Take Back the Night” originated in the 1970s as a response to women feeling unsafe walking at night, and it has since expanded into a broader effort to address sexual assault, domestic violence and other forms of gender-based violence.