April is sexual assault awareness month, and The Gloucester Coalition for the Prevention of Domestic Abuse (CPDA) is inviting the public to their annual Take Back the Night march, followed by an evening of music, spoken word, and art, to honor sexual abuse survivors. 

This march will take place at 6:00 pm on Thursday, April 7th at Younity Drop-in Center; 6 Elm Street, Gloucester. After the march returns to its starting point, the rest of the events begin around 7:00 pm. 

The Take Back The Night March is a chance for community members who have been impacted by sexual assault or harassment to raise awareness. Every survivor and supporter is encouraged to come. Survivors may contribute to the program by anonymously sharing pieces of their stories via an online form. These responses will be shared by a member of the community in the events following the march. 

Afterward, the program will continue with performances from local artists and activists inspired by survivor stories. It will include live art creation from young adults, including Gloucester High School students. Spike Lorenzana will be presenting a poem about women’s oppression by June Jorden, entitled “Poem About My Rights”. 

The CPDA was founded as a response to the domestic violence issue within the Gloucester community. It took up the mission to lead the community in an effort to become a place where everyone can live free from fear. It has proved to be a success, providing solidarity for survivors, raising awareness, and advocating for system change for over two decades. 

“We need to grow our ability to see others, to recognize trauma, to build space for healing and change,” said Coalition co-chair Amber Gaumnitz. “Domestic violence and sexual assault impact everyone, and it will take all of us working together to break cycles of violence and prevent harm. We encourage community members to get involved and join the CPDA.”

To learn more about the Gloucester Coalition for Prevention of Domestic Abuse and how to help in its mission, please contact either co-chair: Amber Gaumnitz at [email protected], or Shaina Doberman at [email protected].

To access sexual assault survivor services and advocacy, please contact the YWCA North Shore Rape Crisis Center’s hotline at 877-509-9922.