Take Back the Night is celebrating its 25th anniversary in Prince George.
On Friday, women and children will band together to help bring an end to violence.
Take Back the Night is celebrated worldwide to honour the women who have not survived violence, to celebrate those women who have survived and to demand an end to violence according to the SOS Society in Prince George.
"This is a way to speak out about violence against women and children," said Elsie Wiebe Klingler from the SOS Society in Prince George.
"It's important to remember that this type of violence happens in a context and in trends. And right now, this is a really big trend. It is much higher than any other form of violence."
The march in Prince George continues to welcome all women including self identified, trans, non binary, two spirited and children.
"This is an opportunity to band together to increase safety especially on our streets at night," Wiebe Klingler said.
"Women seem to embody violence. It's like we are hot-wired to be constantly aware of our safety. So, for us, it's important to be together and when we are together, we are safer."
After the march, participants are invited to listen to a variety of guest speakers including, Mayor Lyn Hall, Coun. Susan Scott, various event organizers as well as the Community Addressing Sexual Violence from UNBC.
"SOS has taken part in this event from the start but there is an entire committee which helps organize this every year," Wiebe Klingler said.
The organizations taking part are:the Elizabeth Fry Society, The College of New Caledonia, UNBC, AWAC, the Phoenix Transition House, Women's North Network, Northern Women's Centre and the Prince George Native Friendship Centre.
The SOS Society (Surviving our Survival) is the only sexual trauma centre of its kind in the north.
It provides counselling and support services for individuals families and groups who have been affected by sexual violence.
The society continues to raise awareness and advocate for the rights of women and children striving to create a culture free from sexual violence.
According to SOS, over half of women in B.C. have experienced physical or sexual abuse since the age of 16.
In B.C., there are over 1,000 physical or sexual assaults against women every week.
And as of 2010, there were 582 known reports of missing or murdered Aboriginal women in Canada with B.C. recording more than any other province.
Take Back the Night began in Europe in the 1970s.
In Canada, from 1980-85, the marches were organized by Vancouver Rape Relief, the first rape crisis centre in Canada.
The Canadian Association of Sexual Assault Crisis Centres declared that Take Back the Night would be held on the third Friday in September so that women across Canada can march on the same night.
Take Back the Night in Prince George will begin Friday at 6:30 p.m. at the main doors at the CNC Campus.
The march route will begin at the main doors on 22nd Avenue circling around several blocks in the neighborhood and finish back at the main doors at CNC.
For more information, contact the S.O.S. Society at 250-564-8302 or at: admin@sossociety.org or the Take Back the Night on Facebook.
