Michael Messner

THOUSAND OAKS, CA - A candlelit walk, a Clothesline Project display and a talk on male activists will mark Take Back the Night at California Lutheran University on Friday, April 13.

The activities, which are free and open to the public, will begin at 5 p.m. in Buth Park.

Take Back the Night marches, rallies and events encouraging people to take a stand against sexual violence, particularly incidents involving female victims, have been held around the world for more than 30 years.

Michael Messner, a sociology and gender studies professor at University of SouthernCalifornia, will deliver the keynote address on male activism and gender-based violence. He is conducting a life-history study of two generations of men who have been active in the campaign against gender violence. One group came of age in the 1970s during a time of explosive feminist grassroots activism, and the other is fueling a resurgence of anti-violence activism on college campuses and through media-based campaigns today. The study explores how activists make sense of their anti-violence work and how they have strategized to stop men’s violence within the two different historical contexts.

As part of The Clothesline Project, shirts decorated by women affected by violence will be displayed. The event also will feature student performances and resource tables hosted by community and CLU organizations.

Buth Park is at the corner of Memorial Parkway and Luther Avenue.

CLU’s student club Feminism Is… and Center for Equality and Justice are sponsoring the event. For more information, call 805-493-3694 or email cej@callutheran.edu.