Hundreds march to ‘Take Back the Night’ in London

The ‘Take Back the Night’ march was held at Victoria Park in London, Ont. on Sept. 18, 2025. (Sean Irvine/CTV News London)

Londoners came together to ‘Take Back the Night’ on Thursday evening.

The annual march, dedicated to ending sexual assault, rape, abuse, and other forms of violence, began with spoken words and songs that sent a message with solemn tones.

Speakers addressed the pain caused by gender-based violence and stressed the ongoing need for consent.

The public, joined by emergency services and community leaders, then marched around Victoria Park.

A highlight of the evening was the story of author and justice advocate Jane Piper. She recalled the trauma of surviving a violent sexual assault in August 2003.

“I survived, but I had a long way to go before I got my life back. It would take years of hard healing work. I didn’t want to feed the painful memories every year on the anniversary. So, I set out to reclaim the day. Like tonight, we’re here to ‘Take back the night!’ I was determined to take back August 21st,” said Piper.

The event, backed by Anova and the London Abused Women’s Centre, was supported by multiple corporate sponsors and municipal organizations.