York Region's annual Take Back the Night rally is returning Sept. 19 to show support to survivors of gender-based violence and sexual assault, while shining a light on its prevalence here.
The Women’s Support Network of York Region is organizing the event taking place from 6 to 9 p.m. in a new location this year, at Unity Park in Richmond Hill.
“Annually Take Back the Night is hosted in different towns and cities within York Region. Last year it was in Aurora and this year it is in Richmond Hill at Unity Park. We do that to increase visibility and accessibility for such a large region for community members and survivors and those who may be interested in partaking in the event,” said Shannon Seeraj, program manager for the Women’s Support Network.
“Recognition of gender-based violence is important because it comes with calls to action,” said Seeraj.
The support network offers a variety of services and programs for victims, such as sexual violence counselling, human trafficking support, group programs, and supports for youth. Staff at the organization have noticed an increase in gender-based violence and individuals accessing their services.
“We saw an increase of calls on our 24/7 crisis line and on the online chat service,” said Jackie Benn-John, executive director of the Women’s Support Network. “We had 2,087 calls on the crisis line and chat support and saw 264 survivors receive trauma counselling throughout the year.”
Seeraj would like to see more funding for programs aimed at supporting survivors.
Statistics Canada states one in three women experienced unwanted sexual behaviour in public, which can include unwanted sexual attention or unwanted physical contact. Further, one in four women in Canada has experienced inappropriate sexual behaviours in the workplace.
According to York Regional Police's the community safety portal, there have been 455 sexual violations in the past year. There have been six sexual violations in the past seven days. There are, however, more incidents that go unreported.
“What we know from our experience is many survivors will not engage with the criminal justice system,” said Seeraj.
She did, however, say victims would rather contact a women’s shelter, an agency such as the support network, or other supports.
The vast majority, about 96 per cent of accused people, were men and boys, and most victims, about 74 per cent, knew the person accused of the crime. Further, one in five victims and survivors of sexual assault felt blamed by their perpetrator or family and friends.
Benn-John encourages the community to attend the event to learn more and get information about gender-based and sexual violence and meet other service providers in the community.
“Ask questions,” said Benn-John. “You can access types of programs out there and get information for yourself or someone you know you’re concerned about."
She said it’s important to have a safe environment for people to be able to discuss their experiences and survivors to share their stories. The event offers that safe space.
“We’re saying this form of violence has to end and we also want a system that is responsive to this crime,” said Benn-John. “When you see all these individuals united around Take Back the Night, it sends a strong message.”
According to Statistics Canada, sexual violence references unwanted sexual contact, including sexual harassment and sexual assault. The government agency states that 4.7 million women in the country have been sexually assaulted since the age of 15.
You can find more information about the event or support network services here.
