The Women’s Alliance Take Back the Night Walk started at the corner of Greenbrier and Russell roads Thursday night. About 50 to 60 people participated in the protest to raise awareness on campus about sexual violence and rape. This year, the group received many short car honks of approval and seemed to receive a lot of support from bystanders of NIU.

Women and men alike came to the protest. The women led the protest and men followed behind.

Senior anthropology major Rebecca Woods and senior painting major Sarah Woods, her sister, walked together chanting, “Hey hey, ho ho, night-time violence has got to go,” while walking their dog, Chato.

Protesters also chanted, “Yes means yes, no means no, whatever we wear, wherever we go,” and “Give girls hugs, not date-rape drugs,” while carrying posters during the march.

This year, the Women’s Alliance also used lyrics from a Bon Jovi song.

“When you pressure me, it’s just not the same, you give love a bad name,” they said, to illustrate their point that sexual violence is a big issue.

Some cheers from past years that may have come across as vulgar to some are more so meant to be “silly,” said senior anthropology major and Women’s Alliance co-president Marissa McGrath.

“This is a major problem in our culture and has to be solved by not only females, but men as well, … Which is why I am out here,” said senior mathematics major Dave Kettlestrings.

The walk improved from last year when a few enraged fraternity members threw eggs at the protesters. This year, however, there were many who came out to support their friends and family as well as promote the cause.

The path of the protesters went in a circle along Greek Row and traveled on Lucinda Avenue to Annie Glidden Road. Many people passing on the street at first were having a hard time telling just what the protest was about.

The protest finished along Lincoln Highway at the East Lagoon, where there was a ceremony and two speakers, Diane Pospisil-Kinney of “Voices for Change,” and Troy Melendez of MASIV, to close the night out. The speakers talked about how men are able to help out their female friends and family who may have been victims of sexual violence.

“Take Back the Night” has been an annual event for about 15 years. The Women’s Alliance is an international organization that started in Belgium in 1976, coming to San Francisco in 1978 and NIU in 1989.

This event is not only done at NIU, but across the country and internationally to perpetuate the purpose of women’s rights and improve the status of women.

“Our goal is to provide educational programming that addressed such issues as violence against women, sexual discrimination, gender stereotyping, invisibility of women leaders in our society, etc.,” said senior communication major and PRSSA member Chance McWorthy in a press release about Take Back the Night.

Current issues the group has been taking on are the Violence Against Women Act of 2005 and emergency contraception.

McGrath also said the general purpose is to raise awareness about what is going on around campus. The chants protesters yell are meant to get people’s attention more than silently holding a sign.