Safe Passage will mark the 25th anniversary of Sexual Assault Awareness Month with the return of Take Back the Night and a vigil featuring Carrie Ward, CEO of the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault.

The Take Back the Night annual event will feature a march and survivor vigil from 5:30 to 8 p.m. April 27 at the Egyptian Theatre, 135 N. Second St., in downtown DeKalb.

Community members are invited to stand in support of survivors of sexual violence with this year’s theme, “25 Years Stronger: Looking Back and Moving Forward to New Beginnings.”

The evening will begin with a short walk where participants march together through downtown DeKalb in solidarity with survivors. The event will conclude with a Survivor Vigil, offering a meaningful opportunity for reflection, remembrance, and healing.

“Having worked alongside survivors and advocates for nearly 30 years, I’ve seen how powerful it is when a community stands together and says that sexual violence will not be tolerated,” Safe Passage Executive Director Rebecca Versluys said in a news release. “Take Back the Night is not only about raising awareness – it’s about creating a space where survivors feel supported, believed, and empowered. As we mark the 25th anniversary of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, we honor how far we’ve come while recommitting ourselves to building a future where everyone in DeKalb County can live free from violence.”

Participants are invited to wear teal, the color of sexual assault awareness, to demonstrate solidarity with survivors.

Event guest speaker Ward has been a leader in the movement to support survivors for nearly three decades. She joined the Coalition in 1996 and now leads the statewide coalition in strategic planning, policy advocacy, and oversight of funding that supports rape crisis centers across Illinois.

Ward also represents the Coalition on several statewide task forces and committees, including the Illinois Forensic Science Commission and the Missing and Murdered Women in Chicago Task Force, and serves as Board Treasurer for the National Alliance to End Sexual Violence, representing rape crisis centers across the country.

Safe Passage also recognizes the many community partners who help support survivors every day, according to the release.

That includes local law enforcement agencies, Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANE nurses), medical providers, counselors and other service professionals who play a critical role in ensuring survivors in DeKalb County receive compassionate care and coordinated support during incredibly difficult moments. All community partners who help survivors are welcome to attend in solidarity with survivors.

“Take Back the Night highlights both the progress made over the past 25 years of Sexual Assault Awareness Month and the work that still remains,” organizers said in a news release. “By coming together as a community, residents can help create safer spaces, reduce stigma, and show survivors that they are not alone.”

For more information about the event or Safe Passage services, visit www.safepassagedv.org.

Safe Passage has served DeKalb County for 45 years, providing free and confidential services to individuals affected by domestic and sexual violence. Through advocacy, counseling, prevention education, compassionate intervention, and community partnerships, Safe Passage works to support survivors and create a safer community for all.