North Dakota State University (NDSU), Minnesota State University at Moorhead and Concordia College students marched from their campuses to the Fargo Civic Center September 28th to condemn sexual violence in an event with the Take Back the Night Foundation. The foundation has run similar events internationally since 2001.
 
Each group gathered dozens of supporters to march through downtown Fargo as part of the international movement to stop violence against women, sexual abuse and harassment of all people.

Event organizers read the names of Minnesotans and North Dakotans who lost their lives to abuse, and victims were represented by black cardboard signs placed in chairs across the Civic Center.
 
In addition to short films and music, the Rape and Abuse Crisis Center (RACC)-sponsored event featured speeches by survivors of physical and emotional abuse. One speaker, identified as Heather, spoke about her experiences and encouraged others to act against violence.
 
Angela Mathers, graduate assistant at NDSU, encourages students to step up out of their comfort zones to take up causes like this.
 
Despite their work on the event, the event organizers said that they felt they had a long way to go before everybody could feel safer.
 
“We still have not taken back the night,” said RACC executive director Greg Diehl.

More from The Spectrum at North Dakota State University
More from the Take Back the Night website
More from the Rape and Abuse Crisis Center of Fargo-Moorhead