This story contains mention of sexual violence. Those in need of support can call the Ottawa Distress Centre Crisis Line: 613-238-3311, the Sexual Assault Support Center of Ottawa Crisis Line: 613-234-2266 or the Ottawa Rape Crisis Centre Line: 613-562-2333.
With signs raised high and chants echoing through the cityscape, hundreds of protesters gathered in Minto Park in Ottawa to begin the 46th annual Take Back the Night march in support of survivors of sexual violence on Sept. 19.
The theme of this year’s march centred around the motto, “Break the silence, stop sexual violence and conflict.”
Fatou Toure, a University of Ottawa student and the first keynote speaker, opened in front of the Women’s Monument.
“We want to put an end to the inhumane instrumentalization of girls, women and LGBTQ+ folks who are targets of extreme violence in the context of war, crisis and conflict,” she said.
Toure pointed to the women in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Palestine and Yemen are who exposed to “violence, sexual violence and threats of violence.” According to the World Health Organization, one in three women worldwide have been subjected to sexual violence in their lifetime.
“These numbers, which are just the tip of the iceberg, remain silent in the mainstream media,” Toure said. “Behind every statistic, there are faces, stories and shattered lives.”
The evening continued with Grandmother Irene, an activist and residential school survivor from Minwaashin Lodge, conducting a ceremonial cleansing and chant.
“May we cleanse our eyes so that we see a good future for women and especially take back the night and the safety of women in the street,” Irene said as she used sage — “the woman’s medicine” — to cleanse the space.
As daylight faded to night, protesters began to march through the downtown area, raising rally signs and shouting chants such as, “Hey hey, ho ho, misogyny has got to go!”
Emilia Armas, an Ecuadorian aviation student living in Gatineau, carried a sign that read “Mi Miedo es my Fuerza,” which translates to “My Fear is my Strength.” Her sign also included a list of the names of sexual violence victims from her country.
“My activism means to honour the ones that are no longer with us, the ones we can’t forget,” she said.
Armas said it was her first protest being away from home, adding she felt safe and empowered by the rally.
“This was a thrilling experience, seeing so many women come together and feeling confident,” she said.
Amina Doreh, a media representative for the Sexual Assault Support Centre of Ottawa, helped plan the event and emphasized the importance of annual protests like Take Back the Night.
“Sexual violence is very isolating,” she said. “The electricity of being around your community, to me, is most important.”
Over the years, she noted that Take Back the Night has transformed into an atmosphere of empowerment, celebration and support.
“The fact that we do this shows solidarity with survivors, but also shows we have so much more to go.”
Centre D’aide et de Lutte Contre les Agressions Sexuelles, a Gatineau organization that co-organized the event, met with Doreh and hundreds of protesters halfway through the march at the ByWard Market.
“It is a night to reclaim the streets, and the night, and the right to feel safe wherever we want and wherever we are,” said Emilie Grenon, who has worked for more than a decade as a social worker with the Gatineau organization.
One of the main challenges that the Sexual Assault Support Centre of Ottawa and other organizations face is the lack of government investment in the cause.
Doreh said centring survivors’ voices and creating safer spaces is a key goal and is something that continued financial support can help to improve.
Another keynote speaker said the march also served as a reminder that five years ago, the first public allegation of sexual harassment against then-city councilor Rick Chiarelli came to light.
The community’s broader concern is that there is no direct policy to fire someone for sexual assault or harassment in the Ottawa city council.
“The fact we don’t have mechanisms in place to ensure that accountability is a big problem,” Doreh said. “The city needs to acknowledge who is representing us, and who they have in positions of power.”
Toure said she and other advocates shouldn’t have to push so hard for inherent rights, but it’s a battle worth waging.
“I find it really sad that we have to fight against something that is supposed to be our freedom, that is supposed to be normal,” Toure said. “But, I’ll always fight for it, that’s how important it is to me.”
Featured Image by Simon McKeown/The Charlatan.
