A 1975 CMU alumna has experienced violence committed against women
firsthand.

“In my life, acts of sexual aggression happened,” Mary Irvine said.
“I was never raped in terms of actual penetration, but there are other
ways you feel raped. You shut down, you don’t want to feel.”

Irvine, a resource assistant at the Wesley Foundation, 1400 S.
Washington St., helped organize Take Back the Night, a march and
rally raising awareness of violence against women, children and
families which had its 25th anniversary at CMU this year.

Take Back the Night 2005 began 5 p.m. Wednesday at the Isabella
County Building, 200 N. Main St. Before the march an opening ceremony
and vigil took place.

Erica Ray, a member of the event’s planning committee, was one of
250 people marching from the County Building to CMU’s campus.

“It felt very empowering to march down the middle of the street and
have people watch,” the Capac senior said.

Afterward, 200 people gathered in Warriner Hall’s Plachta Auditorium
to hear sexual aggression and human rights educator Gail Stern speak.

Stern discussed hate speech, including society’s negative terms for
sexually active women. To illustrate her point Stern used many such
terms in her speech.

Despite its content, Ray said much of the speech’s power came from
Stern’s use of humor.

“She was very, very powerful,” Ray said. “She was able to use comedy
intertwined with the issues.”

Following Sterns speech, men and women had the opportunity to “speak
out” by sharing their personal stories. Survivors of sexual aggression
described their experiences.

Ray said more people came to all the Take Back the Night events
Wednesday than in previous years.

“It was a very good group, a genuine group,” Ray said. “They really
wanted to show their support and be there to play their part as
activists for this cause.”

Irvine sang at the first march and rally that took place in Mount
Pleasant. She said her participation in Take Back the Night has evolved
in the years since.

“As you grow in understanding and commitment you ask yourself, ‘What
more can I do? Can I take a bigger bite out of it?’” Irvine said.

Ray said she was grateful for the opportunity to participate in the
event.

“It makes me feel proud to be a woman out there voicing my opinions
on issues,” Ray said.

An international event, Take Back the Night began in Belgium in 1976
with women at the International Tribunal on Crimes Against Women who
held candles to protest violence against women around the world.

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