A Carbondale woman shared her story of survival from sexual abuse and violence to a crowd of 250 people Friday in what she called an effort to help battered women rebuild their lives.

I had no future, three kids and was homeless, she said. After I hit the bottom, the next minute I began to climb back up and modeled the process for other women.

Bobbie Bennett was a speaker at Take Back the Night, a rally and march designed to give both SIUC students and community residents a chance to speak out against violence towards women.

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Bennett said after she hit the bottom, she wanted to aid in halting violence towards women. She said she became actively involved with the Carbondale Women’s Center, which offers counseling and support to victims of domestic abuse and rape.

Bennett was the first community member to become the president of the Women’s Center board of directors.

Through all my experiences, the biggest thrill is when I see a light come on in a sister’s eye when she realizes her situation is not her fault.

Marchers lit the night with candlelight as they journeyed to the rally at the Freight Pavillion in downtown Carbondale, clad in white arm bands to represent women who have suffered sexual assault.

Desiree Wells, a representative for the Wellness Center, said the rally was a time to make the night safe again for women.

Women should be safe 24 hours a day, she said. It is so sad that women have to be scared to walk around their own neighborhood.

Carrie Cassaro, a freshman in animal science, said she hopes the march helped people to pay more attention to issues concerning safety.

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I’m now more aware of it, and I hope to make other people more aware before something happens to them.

Jessica Kazmierski, a freshman in theater from Orland Park, said she hopes the march gives a voice to abused women who are scared to come forward.

It’s important to get the message out, she said. There are other survivors out there.

Carolyn Prinz, the coordinator of the Rape Action Committee at the Carbondale Women’s Center, said she is angry about the present state of violence in society. She said community involvement is needed to change the current situations.

I’m angry that there is even a need for this march, she said. No matter if one, 10, 30, or 100 women are raped, battered, or abused, that is one woman too many.

Paul Matelonis, who provides legal services for abused women and volunteers at the Women’s Center, said men need to take responsibility and speak out against violence toward women.

We need to reach out to the brothers who don’t know the meaning of the word no, he said. We need to move towards peace and reconciliation between the genders.

During the rally, Matelonis invited the men in the crowd to come forward and sign a pledge to promise to speak out against violence towards women. Some of the items on the pledge included supporting curriculum changes in schools and voting for bills that aid counseling centers.

The messages for change and survival from violence were repeated by the songs of the folk group For Healing Purposes Only and the t-shirts designed by abused or sexually assaulted women.

Prinz said she was grateful to all the people who came to the march and rally.

I am inspired by the women, men and children who came to support this cause.

Ellen Joyce, a Carbondale resident, brought her six-year old daughter to the rally. She said she wanted her daughter to experience the intensity of the supporters.

Joyce said, I want her to know if people concerned about a serious matter come together, they can make a difference.