Calling for an end to violence. Period (9 photos)

Approximately 35 people took part in the annual Take Back the Night March in the city’s downtown core Thursday evening.

Heading out from the Phoenix Rising Women's Centre on Wellington Street East, participants, with a ‘Take Back the Night’ banner and carrying signs with slogans such as ‘Real Men Protect Women’ and ‘Womyn Unite,’ marched down Brock Street and along Queen to Sault Ste. Marie Fire Station 1 on Tancred Street, escorted by Sault Fire Services and Sault Police.

A gathering then took place inside the fire hall’s truck bay, in which victims of abuse shared their stories while others voiced their support.

While the Take Back the Night March is an international annual event where people step up to protest violence against women worldwide, Lebertine Wilson, Freedom Sisters co-founder (who led Thursday’s march chanting slogans through a megaphone), said the march is a call for safe streets and an end to violence against men and children as well.  

“To be a true feminist and activist, it means I have to be inclusive of everyone,” Wilson said, speaking to SooToday.

Wilson is a Freedom Sisters co-founder.

“We are all human, no matter what colour or race we are, and to fully advocate for everyone, I give the same respect to men and children.”

“Locally, I think some more noise is being made. We’re starting to have different aspects of abuse coming forward such as people speaking out about the opioid crisis and groups for saving our youth, Indigenous voices...all very sound groups, grassroots organizations that have come together to try to better our community. Sadly, we still have some pretty high rates of abuse and I’d like to see that dropping.”

However, Wilson said “I think our community is making more effort to stop abuse of women. Our police chief (Hugh Stevenson) is coming out to events and being active and being seen. I think that speaks volumes to the  survivors in our community, to the warriors who continue to go on. There’s more awareness out there.”

At the fire hall, about a half dozen men took part in Thursday’s event, which included dimmed lighting, lit candles and a minute of silence for those affected by violence.

This year’s event marked a first in that Sault Fire Services led the march through the downtown in a fire truck, opening up the main fire hall for participants.  

“Phoenix Rising reached out to us to see if we wanted to be involved. We always like being part of the community and this is an important, strong cause and we want to be supportive. We’re here to help and this fire hall is another place to go in the downtown core if people need help. Assistance can be reached,” said Aaron Gravelle, Sault Fire Services public education officer.

Locally, concerned citizens have been taking part in the annual march since the mid-1980s.