Town meets gown for Ithaca's Take Back the Night

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Ithaca, 25 April 08 -- Three marches will combine campus and community groups for a rally in downtown Ithaca tonight for the annual Take Back the Night collaboration. Take Back the Night is an international rally that takes place in local communities to expand awareness of violence against women, children, and families.

In Tompkins County, Take Back the Night goes back to the 1980s. Locally, groups will meet at Ho Plaza at Cornell University, at the Greater Ithaca Activities Center, and at Ithaca College's Textor Hall at 7pm tonight. The groups will march to the center pavilion on the Ithaca Commons for a 7:30pm rally.

Before the marches, the evening begins with a self-defense course for women at 5:30 at the center pavilion on the Commons, followed by music from CROW Marley & Son at the Bernie Milton Pavilion. The rally will include speakers, poetry, and survivor speak-outs.

The evening will conclude with the annual candlelight vigil.