Take Back the Night to raise awareness of sexual violence

HUDSON―For two decades, Julianne Baumann has been part of the Mental Health Association of Columbia-Greene Counties, helping people rebuild from moments that might otherwise define them.

This week, that quiet work steps into the open.

On Friday, April 24, MHACG will host its first Take Back the Night, a nationally recognized march and speak-out that brings communities together in solidarity with survivors of sexual and domestic violence.

“It is all about the journey—the healing and getting back to being a thriving member of the community. And to reduce the stigma that people feel,” said Baumann, MHACG’s chief of clinical services.

The event runs from 4:30 to 7 p.m. and begins at the organization’s offices at 713 Union Street before moving through Hudson to the county courthouse, where candlelight and testimony will replace silence.

By the time marchers reach the courthouse, candles in hand, the light will be doing more than illuminating faces. It will mark the presence of survivors, advocates and a community choosing not to look away.

Take Back The Night dates back to the 1970s, when outrage over violence against women in cities like San Francisco and Philadelphia inspired rallies demanding safety and justice. Today, events are held in more than 1,400 communities.

Worldwide, and estimated one in three women experience some form of sexual violence or intimate partner violence. One in six men experience sexual violence. Two in three transgender people have been sexually assaulted. People in the LGBTQIA+ community are more likely to experience sexual violence.

And less than 50 percent of victims report these crimes.

Through MHACG, survivors—whether their experiences were reported or never spoken aloud—have access to therapists, counselors, legal and medical advocacy, and trauma-informed care. The support is free. It is confidential. And it is constant, with a 24-hour line (518-943-4482) that does not close when the rest of the world does.

The people MHACG supports include children and families navigating abuse, adults carrying trauma from years past, and those in the immediate aftermath of violence. The agency’s reach stretches across both Columbia and Greene counties, but its philosophy is local and personal: meet people where they are and walk with them forward.

Baumann put it plainly: one of their goals is to ensure that those who have experienced abuse no longer feel marginalized—and that anyone who needs it knows where to find it.

“You have a voice and you have support,” Baumann said. “It is never too soon and it is never too late to get help.”

Soup Night

On Thursday, April 23 from 5-7 p.m., MHACG’s REACH Center and Child Advocacy Center will gather at Left Bank Ciders in Catskill for a Soup Night fundraiser. It’s a simple idea—food, conversation, neighbors—but in communities like this, those are often the strongest building blocks.

With April marking national awareness campaigns for sexual assault and child abuse prevention, the gathering offers a meaningful opportunity to learn more about the work of the REACH Center and Child Advocacy Center while supporting survivors in the community.

Bootlegger’s Ball

Then, on Thursday, May 7, the annual Bootlegger’s Ball returns, transforming Anthony’s Banquet Hall into something closer to a roaring 20’s-era dreamscape than a modern event space.

From 6 to 9 p.m., the room will fill with that particular kind of energy—part nostalgia, part purpose.

Funds raised will support MHACG with everything from crisis response and trauma intervention to after-school programming and harm reduction efforts addressing the opioid epidemic. They help provide food, clothing, and stability for those facing homelessness. They build spaces where children and families can learn, reconnect, and simply breathe a little easier.

Tickets to the Bootlegger’s Ball are available at https://www.mhacg.org.

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