Take Back the Night March Wednesday

News Release: From: Albion Fellows Bacon Center “Take Back the Night March 2008” April 30, 2008 starting at the Casino Aztar’s Events Plaza In 2007, Albion Fellows Bacon Center had 473 people utilize services from the Sexual Assault Program. These numbers demonstrate a necessity to raise community awareness about rape. On Wednesday, April 30, 2008 Albion Fellows Bacon Center will host the city’s 11th Annual Take Back the Night March to protest against sexual assault and rape. Registration for the March will begin at 6:00 p.m. at the Casino Aztar’s Event Plaza. Marchers will start walking at 6:30 p.m. down the riverfront to the Four Freedoms Monument and back to the Casino Aztar’s Event Plaza for a candlelight ceremony, survivor testimony from Samantha Stratton, and a vocal performance by Angel Camp. Community members will also have an opportunity to “Speak Out” about rape and sexual assault. The topic of rape has been hidden in silence for too long, the march is an opportunity for our community to help survivors break the silence and the community become more aware of the impact and frequency this crime is happening here. Samantha will share her experience surviving a devastating rape by the roommate of one of her good friends. She will talk about how the legal system affected her as she sought prosecution and how the rape has changed her life in so many ways. Samantha will share a message of hope that is not to be missed. She will be available for interviews before the march if any media are interested in speaking with her. Contact can be made through Albion at the phone number. This event is being sponsored by: The Lampion Center, Deaconess Crosspoint, Casino Aztar, The Fraternal Order of Police and various community members and organizations. A woman is raped every 90 seconds in America. Albion Fellows Bacon Center provided sexual assault services to 473 primary and secondary victims in 2007. Albion is a non-profit agency serving victims of domestic and sexual violence. We provide emergency shelter, a 24-hour crisis line, short-term individual crisis counseling, support groups, and legal and medical advocacy to victims and their friends and family. All of the services are free of charge. For Further information please contact Chrissy Wicks at Albion Fellows Bacon Center, 812-422-9372 or by email at cwicks@afbcmail.com .