The Colorado Independent - Take Back the Night Rally Brings Senator Michael Bennet to DU Campus

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By Scot Kersgaard

What woman has not felt anxiety walking alone at night?"

With that question, University of Denver students, staff and friends kicked off this year's Take Back the Night rally on the DU campus Wednesday evening.

Designed to raise awareness of crimes against women, domestic violence and sexual/gender/identity violence of all kinds, the rally brought heart-rending stories to life, and brought life-affirming stories to some who maybe needed to hear them.

"I went to my first Take Back the Night about a hundred years ago, when I was in college," said U.S. Senator Michael Bennet.

"It's easy for me to be here," he said. "I have three little girls at home that I don't get to see nearly enough."

Bennet said Congress's seeming preoccupation with Planned Parenthood was misguided at best.

He recalled campaigning partly on a platform of reproductive choice and said people questioned why he talked about something that didn't seem to be much of an issue to most people.

First thing back in the Senate, he said, fellow members ramped up efforts to limit choice.

"Most people don't want the government to tell them how to live their life," he said, adding that most people want Planned Parenthood and other programs offering women's health care kept above the fray and safe from political attack.

He urged the women in the audience to "keep each other safe."

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