Rally cry: End sexual assault.

Byline: Mark Baker The Register-Guard

"Consent is sexy!"

Shouted by a young woman among a group of volunteers, it seemed to sum up the theme at Thursday's annual Take Back the Night rally and march on the University of Oregon campus.

Rally organizers emphasized that sex among consenting adults is one thing, and it's OK to dress any way you want, but coerced sex, even in the absence of physical violence, is never an acceptable thing. And there's no excuse for it.

"Will he still like me if I say, `No'?" ... "So what exactly is and isn't rape?" ... "I just wanted it to be over ... '

Those words came from other UO students, members of the Sexual Wellness Advocacy Team, who use theater to get their message across. One by one, they came across the stage of the Erb Memorial Union Amphitheater, reading their posters into the microphone.

Take Back the Night has been sponsored by the ASUO Women's Center and Sexual Assault Support Services since the late 1970s. It's part of an international event to protest rape and other forms of violence against women, with roots in the 1970s feminist movement.

But it's about much more in the 21st century, UO sophomore Rebecca Sprinson told the crowd of about 250 before a march toward downtown with a police escort. Along the way, they shouted "People unite! Take back the night!" and "Two-four-six-eight, no more date rape!"

Society must continue to strive for basic services and rights for marginalized people, said Sprinson, a sexual assault survivor. She also volunteers for the Women's Center's Assault Prevention Shuttle, which offers free rides to students so they can get around safely after dark.

Take Back the Night, started three decades ago by mostly white, middle-class women, now includes the battle against racism, classism and discrimination against lesbians, gays and transgendered people among its fight, Sprinson said.

Monday's tragedy at Virginia Tech, still fresh on everyone's mind, also came up frequently at the event. Cho Seung-Hui, the 23-year-old gunman who killed 32 before taking his own life, had been accused of harassing female students in 2005. And his first victim Monday was a female student.

State Senate Majority Leader Kate Brown, D-Portland, said it is important that communities across the nation and world take action to end violence everywhere. "And tonight is a beautiful night to make that happen," she said.

Brown spoke about several Senate and House bills that would allow sexual assault victims to be provided contraception in emergency rooms and allow victims of domestic violence and sexual assault to get time off from work to obtain items such as a restrain order.

She also urged students to write and call legislators to advocate for more money for domestic violence and sexual assault services.

Then she ended with a quote from Margaret Mead, the late cultural anthropologist: "Never doubt that a small group of committed citizens working together can change this world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."