On April 3, over 100 Penn students, faculty, and community members gathered on College Green to participate in Take Back the Night, an international campaign focused on ending sexual, domestic, and interpersonal violence.
Organized by Abuse and Sexual Assault Prevention at Penn, the event featured a resource fair, rally, march, and survivor speakout. Attendees held signs, lit candles, and shared personal stories as a call to action for collective healing and change.
“Tonight is about reclaiming our voices, our spaces, and our power,” one speaker said at the start of the rally. “This gathering is a testament to the fact that our campus and all campuses must continue striving for a future free from sexual violence and harassment, a goal we share.”
The event began at 4 p.m. with a resource fair on Locust Walk and College Green, where student groups and advocacy organizations distributed materials and connected students with support services. Despite the cloudy weather, dozens of people stopped to engage with representatives at each table.
At 5:30 p.m., a crowd gathered near the Ben Franklin statue for the rally. Speakers addressed the lasting impact of interpersonal violence, the strength of survivors, and the importance of community accountability.
Millan AbiNader, a speaker at the event, reflected on how Take Back the Night has evolved over the years.
“This feels a lot more activist and connected to other movements and not isolated,” AbiNader said. “The most important thing about Take Back the Night is that no one is alone, that silence isn’t okay, and there’s always someone that will be there to talk with you if you need support.”
At 6 p.m., the Penn Band led participants in a march throughout campus. Protesters carried signs and chanted as they moved past Van Pelt-Dietrich Library and along Locust Walk. Some students joined the march or stood in solidarity, while others watched from the steps of College Hall or from inside Houston Hall as the group passed by.
Graduate student Ashley Jetton, a member of the PVP Student Advisory Board, emphasized how the event builds solidarity and opens conversations.
“I’ve been attending Take Back the Night for years and was excited to attend one as a graduate student,” Jetton said. “It allows people to know that their stories are important and relevant, and that Penn’s campus refuses to allow violence to continue to happen.”
The march ended at Houston Hall with a moment of silence and candlelight vigil. Participants formed a circle outside to mourn those impacted by sexual violence, and the event concluded with a “Survivor Speakout,” where students and community members shared personal testimonies.
College senior Valeria Andrango, a member of Sigma Lambda Upsilon, also known as Señoritas Latinas Unidas Sorority, Inc., told The Daily Pennsylvanian that the event’s inclusion of diverse voices was particularly important.
“A lot of the time, when we think about sexual violence and what it means for our communities, we don’t take into consideration different intersectional aspects of our identity and what that looks like,” Andrango said. “I’m really glad that all the organizations came together to provide this space for students.”
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