KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) -- More than 200 University of Tennessee students marched together on Thursday to “Take Back the Night.

The event is an annual event sponsored by the university’s Women’s Coordinating Council. Its goal is to bring awareness to sexual assault and abuse among women.

“We need to do everything as students to stop the violence,” said Allyson Shipp, one of the event’s coordinators.

Many of the participants help up signs promoting a variety of messages, one of which was “stop the violence.”

“It's important we speak out against domestic violence,” said Shipp. “We need to let it be known that it is a problem and it needs to be stopped."

The march began on the University of Tennessee Pedestrian Walk Way near the Hodges Library. It ended at the University Center, where each member was invited to speak out and share their personal tragedies.

"A lot of people are silent about what happens to them,” said Samantha Stewart, a UT sophomore. “They don't realize they've been sexually assaulted until we put on that program."

According to event coordinators, one in every four women is sexually assaulted in their lifetime.

"It happens on campus,” said Stewart. “A lot of girls don't speak out. By doing this, it makes a lot of girls feel more comfortable about what they're going through."

After speaking out, there was a candlelight ceremony followed by a balloon release.