The York community is invited to participate in a rally to "reclaim the night" on Wednesday, Sept. 19. The rally is organized in response to recent sexual assaults on campus.
The "Women Unite Reclaim the Night!" rally and march will take place from 7 to 9pm in front of Vari Hall on York's Keele Campus. Men are invited to participate in the rally, though only women and trans people will march.
"In light of recent violence against women on our campus, we feel we need to speak out," says Gilary Massa of the York Federation of Students, one of the groups organizing the event. "We need to stand together and say, 'this is not going to be tolerated'."
There will also be a closed forum for women and trans people, to allow for open discussion of the safety and security issues affecting them. Organizations involved include the York Federation of Students, York University Graduate Students Association, the Sexual Assault Survivors' Support Line, the Centre for Women &Trans People and the Office of the Ombudsperson & Centre for Human Rights.
The forum for women and trans people will take place on Wednesday, Sept. 19, from 3 to 6pm, Room 430, Student Centre. The rally and march will take place following the forum, from 7 to 9pm, in front of Vari Hall.