Women brave weather to take back the night

Article in the Muse, Memorial University of Newfoundland’s student newspaper, about the “Take Back the Night” demonstration in St. John’s on September 21, 1984. Proceeding from Bannerman Park to City Hall, this march was the local arm of the annual national action, designated by the Canadian Association of Sexual Assault Centres in 1981, to break the silence around sexual assault and give women a space to voice their anger at rape culture. It featured speakers from the St. John’s Status of Women Council, Transition House, Rape Crisis Centre, and Pornography Committee, addressing issues related to sexual assault and gender inequality to a crowd of around 140 women. “Take Back the Night” marches were important early spaces for lesbian activism, and Lynn Murphy, Diane Duggan, and Sandy Pottle, who are mentioned in this article, were all also involved in queer organizing in St. John's.