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<\/a>The Winona Women\u2019s Resource Center director, Diana Miller, said \u201cTake Back the Night\u201d was organized by the center more than 30 years ago. Miller said the attendance wasn\u2019t very large and it got more attention when Winona State took it over. The average attendance is about 80 to 100 people. Last year\u2019s attendance numbered 200 people, Miller said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s the most important event for the Women\u2019s Resource Center. It\u2019s an opportunity for everyone who is interested in advocating to get involved,\u201d Miller said. \u201cWe honor survivors and have a spirited march at the end. It\u2019s meaningful and emotional for everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n
Miller said she loves this event because it raises awareness and gets advocates motivated to get the hard work done.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe just keep going and advocate on,\u201d Miller said. \u201cAdvocating is hard work.\u201d<\/p>\n
Many students attended the event because they themselves were survivors of sexual assault.<\/p>\n
Child Advocacy Studies minor Ashley Murphy said she attended because she was assaulted and is an advocate.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s important to give people a voice and have a safe place to talk,\u201d Murphy said.<\/p>\n
Two students are making a poster with pictures for the event to get more people to come next year.<\/p>\n
Social work junior Andrea White said FORGE (Fighting for Our Rights and Gender Equality) funds the event for the food, flowers and the clothesline project outside of Minne Hall.<\/p>\n
\u201cI loved the turn-out. I\u2019ve been attending since freshman year, but this is the first year I spoke out,\u201d White said. \u201cYou can see the victim blaming culture is really pervasive in our society, there were people yelling from the Quad.\u201d<\/p>\n
White said the goal is to get more people to come and create a community where we support each other.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a unique opportunity and there\u2019s so much more to it when you sit in that space and listen to their story,\u201d White said. \u201cI think next week it will be on everyone\u2019s mind at one point.\u201d<\/p>\n
Junior social work major Madeline Mowery said she attended this event her freshman year because it was required for a class. Later, she made WAGS her minor and is the FORGE secretary.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis year\u2019s event went really well, I think it was the best one so far because I was involved with the planning and appreciated it more,\u201d Mowery said. \u201cI really liked it and made it my minor.\u201d<\/p>\n
Community Health junior Leah Peterson said she loves the empowerment the event gives.<\/p>\n
\u201cI came because I spoke last year and I have a friend who has been a victim of domestic violence,\u201d Peterson said. \u201cI know a lot of victims and I came to support them.\u201d<\/p>\n