TAKE BACK the NIGHT

This is an article that ran in Banff Canyon, I was honored to be involved in the FIRST TAKE BACK THE NIGHT IN BANFF. Certain names have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals involved.

As night fell on Monday, Banff Avenue was closed. However, it wasn't because of construction or a bank robbery. It was for Banff's first ever Take Back the Night march,which is a walk to end violence and especially violence against women. About 50 people walked down the road carrying signs and chanting slogans like "Yes means yes, no means no, whatever we wear, wherever we go!" and "Two, four, six, eight no more date rape."

At the front of the pack Holly carried a banner that said "Break the silence, stop the violence, take back the night." Holly, who is from Red Deer, is a rape survivor and used to be a victim of the silence, but not anymore. Holly's story is about suffering at the hands of a serial rapist who preyed on at least 17 women. She became suicidal over her attack, which took place in 1990.

"In the matter of one hour my life changed forever. He degraded me with the faces of the people I love smiling back at me through photographs in my own home," she told about 100 people who rallied in Central Park
before the march. "The scars and mental wounds are still with me. People always say 'well aren't you over it?' and I tell them it will always affect me. It's why hearing people's personal accounts is so important."

Her battle became known and she appeared on numerous news shows and in newspaper articles. She even became the first woman to go public with a rape story on America's Most Wanted. Eventually her assailant was apprehended after fleeing the country and convicted.

"He got 10 years in jail and has threatened to kill me. He's been released," she said. His whereabouts are unknown, but that is not slowing Hannah down. She has become a champion for rape victims and victims of violence all over Canada.

It made her a perfect fit for Banff's march, which drew a large number of men as well as women.