For the first time in Red Deer, the international event and non-profit group Take back the Night will be holding a March for the Cause Thursday evening, with the goal to bring awareness and to help eliminate sexual, relationship, and domestic violence in all forms.

The event was organized by five dedicated social work students from RDC, including 2nd year student Jade Fleury, who says the goal of these marches is to bring people together for a common goal.

“Victim Services will hosting a booth, and we’ll be having booths and pamphlets where we will be having a big celebration where we can have community discussion regarding sexual assault and to help raise that awareness. Basically just coming together as a community to show that support.”

Fleury is one of those social work students putting on the event, and she encourages everyone to come down, show support, and add their hand prints and signatures to their "These Hands are NOT for Hurting" mural, to commemorate those who have faced any form of sexual violence.

“People can put their hands on the mural to show their support, and to show that there is support in the community, and that we don’t believe that anybody should a victim of sexual assault and our hands are meant to come together to show support for one another, and stand together as opposed to hurting each other.”

The march starts at 7pm at City Hall, and ends in Rotary Park, where there will be speakers, refreshments, and a place for community discussion.