This year’s theme is “Still Here — We Persevere” celebrating SACHA’s past, presence, and perseverance over 50 years of service. We honour our past, beginning with the volunteers of the grassroots Rape Crisis Centre that evolved into SACHA. We are grateful to all the staff, volunteers, anti-violence advocates,survivors, and community members who have got us to where we are and we celebrate the successes of their work. We are honouring those in the present whose presence emphasizes the power of community, whose solidarity with survivors extends beyond sexual violence and encompasses the intersectionality of all people whose rights are under attack abroad and here where we call home. Having a presence in the community is crucial, we take up space to show survivors that they are not alone. We are proclaiming perseverance. We are here and will continue to be here for another 50 years and for as long as the work must be done until we see a world free of violence and oppression. Just as survivors have always persevered, we will not be silenced, and we will keep showing up for each other.
Take Back the Night 2025
July 27, 2025
Still Here — We Persevere
What is TBTN?
Take Back the Night is an annual event that has been happening in Hamilton for over 40 years and continues to happen every September all over the world. Our goal is to denounce sexual violence, gender based violence and street harassment while providing a space for empowerment and solidarity with survivors. We will have a gathering with community tables, an Indigenous market, live music, activities, giveaways, and more! Following that we will rally with speeches from community members who will speak on our theme. And then the most iconic part of the night we march with signs and chants through the streets to take up space and assert ours rights to live safely!
When and Where is TBTN?
TBTN is happening on Thursday September 18th 2025.
6pm — 8pm Community Tables, Indigenous Market, Activities, Performances, Giveaways, & More
8pm — 8:15pm Welcome, Speeches, Chants
8:15pm — 9:15pm March Through the Streets!
Gathering Location: Hamilton City Hall Forecourt
March will take place starting and ending at City Hall. Roads will be closed for the march. There will be a shortcut through Bay St for folks who cannot walk the whole route. See route map below.
Who Can Attend TBTN?
People of all genders and all ages are welcome to attend TBTN. This includes survivors, advocates and allies who support SACHA’s work and want to show love and solidarity to survivors. If you care about creating a world free of violence this event is for you! As a community we have power!
The Role of Marshals at TBTN
TBTN has marshals who are either SACHA Staff, TBTN Committee Members or volunteers who have all attended training for their role in de-escalation, and anti-racism, anti-oppression practices.
- Marshaling at Take Back The Night is one of the ways in which we keep each other safe and reflect affirming messages back to our community as we march.
- Marshals assist in holding banners with affirming and supportive messages along the marching route, using banners as a visual block to create a safer space for all survivors attending the event.
- Marshals may also walk along the sides, front, and back of the march to assist and support community members. Marshals will not police how community members express themselves, and are present to support the safety of everyone participating.
- Marshalls are the first point of contact for anyone participating at Take Back The Night if there is a concern or something requires attention.
- Marshalls have received non-violent de-escalation training from SACHA and will engage with the public using what they have learned
- Marshalls are responsible for handling any situations that may arise during the march, accessing the situation and connecting with SACHA’s Director if further attention/support is needed
- We ask all Take Back The Night participants to allow Marshalls to handle situations and not to get involved in any disruptions to the march should they arise.
TBTN and Police
In order to gain City of Hamilton approval for TBTN to have a march on Hamilton streets it is required that there be a police presence at TBTN. There will be 9 officers with 3 police cruisers stationed nearby the march. We have confirmed with HPS that police officers will be stationed off of the march route (one intersection away) except in 2 spots required by HPS and the City of Hamilton where they will be stationed on the route. Police are there in a road closure capacity only and not for crowd control (see Marshal section below for more on their roles during the march). We understand that a police presence may be a barrier for some people to be able to safely attend the event.
TBTN 2025 Official Art
More information coming soon!
About the Artist: Prince is a multidisciplinary artist and designer whose work explores themes of identity, resilience, and community. Adopted from Haiti and raised in Canada, Prince transforms personal experiences — including navigating belonging and healing from childhood trauma — into bold, impactful visual stories. Through Art By Prince, he creates murals, public art, and design work that amplifies voices often unheard, using creativity as both activism and healing. You can view Prince’s art on Instagram @artby.prince
About the Design: “For me, ‘Still Here – We Persevere’ is deeply personal. I was assaulted as a child, and as a Black man, it’s hard to say that out loud because so often we aren’t believed. This theme speaks to surviving despite silence, shame, and disbelief. It’s about reclaiming my voice through design — saying this happened to me too, and I’m still here, creating, healing, and standing with others who carry their own truths. This piece was made for Take Back the Night to honour survivors of sexual assault. I wanted to take the name literally, showing a woman climbing the ladder to the moon, reaching for the stars, while another woman holds the ladder steady and carries a basket of stars. For me, it represents both support and perseverance in one image. Survivors know the darkness that can come with these experiences, but this piece is about not letting the night define you, it’s about reclaiming it, finding light again, and holding each other up as we persevere.” — Prince
What can you expect during the 6 – 8pm community gathering and tabling time?
SACHA is one of many community organizations doing amazing work in Hamilton. Take Back the Night will feature tables from other groups in Hamilton that are doing work to support the community including unions, non profits, and grassroots organizations. Come learn about the support and resources available to you in the city and pick up some free giveaways!
Celebrate and support Indigenous artisans and businesses by visiting our fourth annual TBTN Indigenous Market! The market will feature tables from Indigenous artists , creators, and businesses selling beadwork, art, mugs, and more! Arriving early to TBTN means you have more time to browse and find the perfect piece for you to take home to remember the night and show your support to Indigenous creators!
While you browse the tables you are in luck! You will get to hear from some amazing local talent in Hamilton who have been preparing musical performances that will tug on your heart strings! With amazing storytelling lyrics and emotional compositions you just might find your new favourite artist at TBTN!
Keeping scrolling because down below you can learn more about the artists performing this year!
We also have a range of activities for all ages that you can participate in at TBTN! Stop by one of our SACHA tables to learn more about the ‘You Can March With Me’ initiative where we pair folks who come alone up with buddies to march, enjoy some time colouring either outside with the crowds or inside in our quiet space, make your own protest sign that you can carry with you during the march and be part of our community art project where you can add your handprint and thoughts to a collective art piece!
We will be selling GLOW-IN-THE-DARK T-SHIRTS! Each shirt is $25 and sizes from small - 5XL are first come, first served. By purchasing a TBTN 2025 t-shirt not only do you get a beautiful piece of art that you can wear but you also get to support the work we do at SACHA!
See the t-shirt mock-up below!
Community care is an important part of Take Back the Night! If you have any of the below items to bring SACHA will be collecting them and distributing them to community members in Hamilton. You can drop off donations from 6-8pm at the designated table in front of the Hamilton Sign.
- Cases/jugs of water
- Sports drinks
- Clothes (including new underwear and socks)
- Sanitary supplies (baby wipes, period products, soap, sanitizer, toothpaste, toothbrushes etc.)
- Tents/tarps
- Sleeping bags/blankets
- Batteries
Musicians
During the community gathering we will have live music performances from local artists meant to empower, build connection, and create solidarity! Read more about them below!
Jupiter Allan always brings a spark of energy and joy fused together to each and every one of their shows! Joy seems to be the passion that expresses and eclipses the stage every time they deliver from their heart! With sounds full of conviction, and crowd-pleasing anthems like "Follow The Rainbow," "Lift Up And Rise," and the more-recent "The Dream We Have Yet To Make Be," they'll have you clapping and stomping and singing along so much, that the songs will be echoing in your head way long after the night is over! They will, in their own words, definitely DEFINITELY have you letting your colours shine and following your rainbow too!
Kylee Philipa is a trans singer songwriter living in downtown Hamilton whose music focuses on queer existence and resistance. She has played shows around Hamilton at local venues and community events. Kylee will be joined by frequent collaborator Max Gallagher playing violin. She has recently released her first EP 'Medusa' available on all platforms.
Alex Whorms crafts music that is a genre unto itself. On her feet, dancing behind her keyboard, the singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist flows freely between styles and sounds, flawlessly blending indie, alternative, folk, pop, jazz and almost anything else that strikes her fancy - investing everything with honest tales and authentic emotions drawn from her own life. Her new EP, Daylight Chasing Dusk, will be released on September 25th, 2025. Co-produced by Michael Keire (Arkells, Matt Mays) and Thomas Hammerton (Ellevator, Kathleen Edwards, Cuff The Duke), and featuring songs like “Younger Self”, “Stay”, and “The Way”, Daylight Chasing Dusk is drenched in synths, driven by upright piano, emotive drums, and Whorms’ confessional vocal, revealing cathartic stories of grief, growth and identity.
Mollolly is a musical partnership between two born and raised Hamiltonians: singer-songwriter Molly Moore and Composer/Engineer Oliver Presta. They started working together two years ago and Mollolly was born. Inspired by the likes of Taylor Swift, The Cranberries, and David Francey - They have a focus on musical storytelling and strong lyricism. Molly and Oliver plan to continue writing songs that spark conversation, inspiration and more importantly, they hope makes you feel something.
Speakers
At the rally starting at 8pm you will hear from some amazing speakers, sharing their wisdom and getting us excited to march. Read more about them below!
Mirand Jurilj (They/Them) is the Public Education Coordinator at SACHA - Sexual Assault Centre (Hamilton and Area) and Hamilton’s Take Back the Night Chair. In this role Mirand works with schools, community organizations, sports teams, faith groups, workplaces and anyone who wants to learn. Their work centers education about sexual violence prevention, the interconnectedness of sexual violence and oppression, consent and healthy relationships, how to support survivors, and community building. They value community care, action, empowerment, and knowledge sharing as tools to fight oppression and ending all forms of violence. Their approach to both providing care and education is survivor-centered, intersectional, and trauma-informed and utilizes activity, discussion, and arts-based learning to make conversations about sexual violence more accessible and approachable. In addition to being a Public Educator, Mirand is a poet, live music lover, detail-oriented planner, cook, pet parent, and auntie who is always excited to meet new people and talk about resistance, solidarity, and community support!
Mary Poirier [she/they] is a hard-of-hearing, lesbian, and Filipino writer. They have a graduate certificate at Humber Polytechnic for Creative Writing. She is an aesthetician by day and a writer by night. Her poetry has been featured in Fifth Wheel Press, Feels Zine, Queer Toronto Literary Magazine, and Ricepaper. You can see more of her work here: https://linktr.ee/marypoirier
Jen is speaking as a representative of the Hamilton Encampment Support Network. She is a mother, a grandmother, currently unhoused, a survivor and an Indigenous woman from Three Fires First Nation in Manitoba.
Jessica Bonilla-Damptey is a Latinx Indigenous woman from El Salvador, living and raised in Hamilton. She is the Mother of 2, Madrina of 3 and Tia of 5. She enjoys being involved in community based projects and believes that it is important to include children in those projects. Trips to the gage park green house, dance parties, bubble tea with popping boba, being in water and hammocks are some of her favourite things. A graduate of the School of Social Work, Indigenous studies and Health studies programs from McMaster University, she is committed to and works to creating a world without violence and oppression. Jessica is a member of Sisters in Spirit in Hamilton, the co-chair of the Woman Abuse Working Group in Hamilton, the co-chair of the Ontario Coalition of Rape Crisis Centres and the Director of the Sexual Assault Centre (Hamilton and Area) SACHA.
Accessibility
Bathrooms are available inside the city hall building main floor. There are two gendered washrooms with individual stalls inside; and one single use accessible, all genders, family washroom. Location: in the hallway directly in front of the information desk.
There is a water fountain and bottle refill station inside the city hall building, main floor. Location: to the east of the information desk. We encourage folks to bring a reusable water bottle.
For a low sensory option we have a quiet space available. This space is inside the city hall building on the second floor. There will be a volunteer available at the space should you have any questions or need support. There still be colouring pages and some fidget options.
To ensure more folks can participate in TBTN we have ASL interpretation available for the Rally (speakers and chants) part of the evening. All speeches and chants have been provided to the ASL interpreter before the event so they may prepare. Please come to the front of the stage area if you require ASL interpretation for the best view.
To ensure more folks can participate in TBTN and so many can follow along we have created all of our SACHA TBTN designated chants before hand . The chants will be printed on the TBTN booklets that will be handed during the event to participants. The rally part of the event includes going through the chants to get everyone ready and energized to march. Designated TBTN chant leaders and Marshals will have copies of the chant and will attempt to say each chant in order so that the march is unified.
We are grateful to have an HSR Bus and DARTS vehicle available for the duration of the march. The DARTS vehicle is designated for individuals with mobility devices and others with disabilities need support to get through the route. The HSR bus is available for anyone who would rather ride the bus for the duration of the march. Both will be stationed on Main Street in front of city hall. An announcement will be made to inform event participants when they are to start boarding the vehicles. The vehicles will not stop throughout the march to allow participants to get on or get off; both will return to city hall at the end of the march. Both are available on a first come first ride basis.
The pace of the march is intentionally slow. We want to ensure everyone stays together and that no one is left behind. We invite families with strollers or wagons and individuals with mobility devices and/or physical disabilities who wish to march to the front of the march behind the marshal’s with banners. This will support keeping a slower pace. We ask all participants to remain behind marshals with banners and not move ahead of the march. Marshals will also be at the front, back, sides and middle of the march wearing safety sashes to support the direction of the march.
There is a short cut available for individuals who do not want to participate for the entire duration of the march. Individuals are invited to turn left on Bay St from King St and use the sidewalks to return to city hall. Marshals will be available on site to direct you.