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“Take Back the Night serves to create safe communities and respectful relationships through awareness events and initiatives. We seek to end sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual abuse and all other forms of sexual violence.
TBTN empowers survivors in the healing process and inspires responsibility in all." tbtn
April 30, 2009 marked the end of Sexual Assault Awareness Month (saam). In downtown SLO there was a Take Back the Night event put on by the Cal Poly Safer Program. Jenny and her staff were there from the SARP Center. The night started with a great Poly singing group. Then a few words from Safer, and then a moving presentation from SARP. What really struck me were the faces of the people listening to the different vignette stories that represented survivors. It was awesome and hit silent but strong. I was proud to be there.
I felt a bit old among all the young, Thursday night farmer market regulars. But it reminded me that anyone can be part of anything at anytime. It doesn't matter where you are in life, but what you put into it that matters. But I still felt old!
I left that night driving home, thinking about my two girls. Hoping for a world free from sexual assault and violence for them. Reality is, SARP will always be here...thank goodness..but it would be nice to put ourselves out of business.
I still hope for a safer world for all our children. They deserve that.
The SARP Center is amazing. The work they do take a special kind of person. I hope you all realize how wonderful, passionate, and caring you are. And you may not ever hear from those survivors again, but know deep down in your hearts, that you have helped and will continue to fight the good fight no matter where you are in life-
