TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- The University of Alabama Women’s Resource Center will sponsor its annual Take Back the Night event to support the end of violence against women on Tuesday, April 22, from 6-7 p.m.

The rally will start at Denny Chimes and will begin with performances, stories, poetry and songs; participants will then march down University Boulevard and conclude with a moment of silence back at Denny Chimes.

The Women’s Resource Center is pleased to have the co-sponsorship of both Verizon Wireless and Coke along with many community and campus partners including the Counseling Center, Turning Point, WILL, Unscripted, Alpha Chi Omega, Alpha Xi Phi, department of women’s studies, Spectrum and the department of theatre and dance.

Take Back the Night is an international rally and march that is organized in local communities with the purpose of unifying communities to take a stand against violence against women. The Take Back the Night rally began in Europe in 1976, when the women attending the international Tribuna on Crimes Against Women marched together in solidarity, lighting candles to protest the ways in which violence permeates the lives of women worldwide.

The first Take Back the Night rally occurred in this country in 1978 in San Francisco and has spread to communities across the United States. UA has been hosting its own Take Back the Night event since 1986 involving both the campus and community in this international event.

"We are proud to work with The University of Alabama's Women Resource Center to bring about awareness of abuse on campus and throughout Alabama," said Caran Smith, Verizon Wireless public relations manager for the Alabama/Georgia region.

"Verizon Wireless is working to stop the cycle of violence in our communities, and Take Back the Night provides a proactive approach to helping those affected by domestic violence and sexual assault.”

The University of Alabama, a student-centered research university, is in the midst of a planned, steady enrollment growth with a goal of reaching 28,000 students by 2010. This growth, which is positively impacting the campus and the state's economy, is in keeping with UA's vision to be the university of choice for the best and brightest students. UA, the state's flagship university, is an academic community united in its commitment to enhancing the quality of life for all Alabamians.