Kudos to Trent Durham students (and especially Taryn Amber) for organizing their first Take Back the Night Walk March 28, 2019 to help end sexual violence..
I was happy to attend, hear the introductory speeches and then join in the walk from Thornton Rd. to City Hall and back...approximately 6 km, in just over an hour.
I learned from the Domestic Violence Unit officer who provided some history that the 1st Take back the Night Walk began in Germany in 1973 when women began a protest after a series of rapes and murders in their town. The next year it was repeated in the U.S. after a young student was attacked and in Canada it was started in 1978 in Vancouver.
The lead Detective Officer told the audience that in 2018 Durham Regional Police had 526 cases of sexual assault and 942 cases of domestic assault where somebody was charged. In his words 'these are staggering numbers'.
The DRP Domestic Violence Unit was started in 2016. They have special training and provide support to victims, with strong support and relationships with external groups such as Denise House, Herizon House, Bethesda House, Luke's Place, the Catholic Family Services and Muslim Welfare Centre and lots of partner agencies to assist women in their time of need.
Before we left for the Walk, he announced a special change of plans, that instead of walking to City Hall we were going to continue to Townline Rd. and back and would need to quicken our pace...for a few minutes people were looking around in shock, until they realized he was joking.
On the way back it was positive to hear many were already talking about making plans for next year's Take Back the Night Walk in Oshawa.
I was happy to attend, hear the introductory speeches and then join in the walk from Thornton Rd. to City Hall and back...approximately 6 km, in just over an hour.
I learned from the Domestic Violence Unit officer who provided some history that the 1st Take back the Night Walk began in Germany in 1973 when women began a protest after a series of rapes and murders in their town. The next year it was repeated in the U.S. after a young student was attacked and in Canada it was started in 1978 in Vancouver.
The lead Detective Officer told the audience that in 2018 Durham Regional Police had 526 cases of sexual assault and 942 cases of domestic assault where somebody was charged. In his words 'these are staggering numbers'.
The DRP Domestic Violence Unit was started in 2016. They have special training and provide support to victims, with strong support and relationships with external groups such as Denise House, Herizon House, Bethesda House, Luke's Place, the Catholic Family Services and Muslim Welfare Centre and lots of partner agencies to assist women in their time of need.
Before we left for the Walk, he announced a special change of plans, that instead of walking to City Hall we were going to continue to Townline Rd. and back and would need to quicken our pace...for a few minutes people were looking around in shock, until they realized he was joking.
On the way back it was positive to hear many were already talking about making plans for next year's Take Back the Night Walk in Oshawa.
