April 1's Take Back the Night: Oklahoma was the first event of its size in the state, with expected attendance in the thousands.
Coordinator Jennifer McLaughlin said the event has taken place all over the country, but she's excited to have it here.
"We are the heartland. We knew that the state would care, and we knew that the people in the state really would care about the issue," McLaughlin said. "We really wanted to put it at the heart, so we decided to have it at the state Capitol."
LEGISLATIVE ISSUES
McLaughlin said leaders have come to realize how much sexual violence affects the community, and she believes the changes necessary to protect sexual violence victims are being made.
"This has really been the year," McLaughlin said of legislation. "We are on the right track. That makes me proud."
Coordinator April Doshier said, "We still see sexual violence as something to be ashamed of rather than a crime committed against another person, and that really keeps victims from wanting to report rape. It's important that we progress."
For more information, visit the Web site or call 524-0700. "Krista Nightengale
