If you were unaware there was a march in downtown Barrie last night, you sure knew about it by the time it was over.
The 19th annual Take Back The Night walk took place last night and started with a gathering at the Barrie City Hall Rotunda.
Over 70 women, children and men crammed the 70 Collier St. meet-up before loudly heading out on their route throughout the city streets in the annual act of vigilance and unity.
Led by a truck with live music aboard, close to 100 women would wind up chanting and marching in downtown Barrie and back to city hall before the event was over.
The night is hosted by the Athena Sexual Assault Counselling and Advocacy Centre and overseen by Kathy Willis, the executive director of Huronia Transition Homes.
Willis told BarrieToday just what the walk is for and why it is a crucial night for all involved.
“It is a rally for whole community, but at the heart of it is women taking up space, demanding an end to violence and standing in solidarity with each other to walk through the streets and say enough is enough,” said Willis. “In a year where we have seen many try to set us back, it has never been more important to stand up and say we will not back down and we will continue this battle and continue it together.”
Throughout her opening speech, Willis referenced the many setbacks seen by her and others in attendance.
From Ontario Premier Doug Ford repealing the sexual education curriculum to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s lack of action on the Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women national inquiry, Willis says there have been many reasons to feel defeated, but also believes that there are good things that have happened and points out that she and her friends and allies will continue to push forward.
“I would say we have seen some changes and we have seen a movement grow from #MeToo and I think that has been really incredible,” said Willis. “For the first time ever, sexual assault and sexual violence is being talked about in the mainstream and I think that gives us the potential to overturn rape culture.
"Truly at the heart of this debate is the rape culture we’re living in, where it is still alright to sexually harass and assault and those social norms are norms that we have to change," she added. "We really have to reconstruct that idea that women’s bodies are men’s property and we have to build a society that is equal and peaceful for everyone.”
Anyone who needs to help from sexual assault and violence can reach out to www.huroniatransitionhomes.ca.
