Take Back the Night

Trine University men show off the heels they plan to wear during the school’s annual Take Back the Night March and Rally, which will be April 4 at 7 p.m. In addition to hearing guest speakers, those who attend will have the opportunity to march to Angola’s Mound. Trine University men are putting their own spin on the nationally known “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” men’s rally to stop rape, sexual assault and gender violence by wearing heels.

Sheriff, survivor to speak at Take Back the Night event

ANGOLA, Ind. – Trine University will feature guest speakers Steuben County Sheriff Tim Troyer and deputy chief Dottie Davis, who speaks internationally on topics surrounding family violence, legal issues and liability for law enforcement, at its annual Take Back the Night March and Rally April 4 at 7 p.m. on the north lawn of Best Hall on the main campus in Angola.

The event is sponsored by Trine student organizations and the Community Anti-Violence Alliance (CAVA).

Troyer is a 25-year law enforcement veteran, serving as sheriff, chief deputy, lieutenant of operations, detective sergeant and more. A graduate of the FBI National Academy, the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy and the Fort Wayne Police Academy, Troyer has been involved in multiple investigations involving narcotics with the Indiana Multi Agency Group Enforcement Drug Task Force. He was instrumental in bringing the Amber Alert and Sexual Offender registry to Steuben County. He also created the Special Response Tactical Team (SWAT). 

Since being elected sheriff, Troyer has launched the Victim Information Notification Every Day (VINE), a system that informs victims of incarcerated subjects. He launched an aggressive proactive stance on registered sex offenders in Steuben County. The county now boasts a 100 percent compliance with convicted Sex Offenders and Violent Predators registry laws.

Davis is the President and owner of Davis Corporate Training, Inc., a private consulting business. As a survivor of domestic violence she offers a true understanding of the dynamics of the issue, as well as a law enforcement officer’s perspective. She was raised in a large Catholic family with traditional views by parents with strong work ethics. She grew up knowing that she could become a nurse, secretary, or mother, but in 1981 joined law enforcement, surprising her parents and joining a profession that had traditionally belonged to men. She now consults as an expert witness in both civil and criminal trials. She empowers people through education, training, mentoring, and providing resources to address issues within the criminal justice system, workplaces and the community.

Following their presentations, participants will march from Trine’s University Avenue to Monument Circle in Angola to demonstrate its unity in confronting sexual and domestic violence and violence against women and children. The evening will conclude with a candlelight vigil in support and in honor of victims’ rights.

The first Take Back the Night event was in 1977 in England and was a women-only protest against the violence and fear that women encountered walking the streets at night. San Francisco followed suit in 1978, and since then, Take Back the Night events have spread across the country.

For more information, contact Trine counselor Megan Cook at cookm@trine.edu or CAVA at cavalliance@aol.com.           

To share your news, contact Trine University communication specialist Lindsay Winslow Brown at winslowbrownl@trine.edu.