Planning has begun for Take Back the Night 2003, scheduled for March 31.
Take Back the Night is a program developed to help raise awareness about violence, especially sexual violence, against women.
The program is designed to empower women who have been the victim of rape or abuse and to encourage these women to break their silence.
Kim Bushore-Maki, one of the primary directors, said that this program is to help victimized women speak out.
“We want to let women who have been the victim of abuse, or sexual abuse, know that it’s OK to break the silence and to use their voice,” Bushore-Maki said. “We want to let them know it’s not their fault.”
Although the main objective of Take Back the Night is that of empowerment and encouragement, Bushore-Maki said that this year’s approach is towards a change in cultural message. The program this year is geared towards a shift in cultural attitudes about gender roles in society and to help raise awareness of these gender roles.
One week prior to the program will be the clothesline project. This project is used as a visual testimony in which survivors and allies decorate T-shirts and display them on a clothesline in the Culp Center.
Take Back the Night is looking for those who are interested in being serious, active volunteers to serve on the planning committee. The next meeting is Oct. 28 at 3 p.m. in the Women’s Resource Center located in the basement of the Panhellenic Hall.
For more information please call Bushore-Maki at 439-4841 or e-mail her at bushorem@mail.etsu.edu.

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