Event Encourages Assault Survivors To ‘Take Back The Night’ [VIDEO]

ST. CLOUD -- The 24th annual Central Minnesota Take Back the Night event took place in St. Cloud tonight at Lake George.

The event is held to collect donations and raise awareness for survivors of sexual and domestic violence.

The night featured a social hour, guest speakers, and a march through neighborhoods by campus and through downtown St. Cloud.

Rebecca Hall and Peggy LaDue are with the Central Minnesota Sexual Assault Center and have been involved with Take Back the Night for over 20 years.

"This is a nice time to acknowledge survivors and to acknowledge their courage and acknowledge their survivor spirit," LaDue says.

"We've had a lot more organizations join with us," Hall says. "So i think it's growing a lot and will continue to grow."

The Clothesline Project was one of several displays illustrating the effects of sexual and domestic violence featured at the event.

Hall says the displays give survivors the chance to tell their story.

"Survivors have the option to be able to go and put their story on [display], so people can walk through and read many different survivor stories," Hall says.

Hall says the event is important to her.

"I am a survivor," Hall says. "So it means a lot to me to be here to recognize and show appreciation to everyone."