Needham High School’s fifth annual Take Back the Night event will be held this Friday, Nov. 4, and its student organizers invite everyone in the community to participate.

The event, part of a national movement that has been active for more than 40 years, raises awareness about domestic and dating violence and sexual assault by bringing people together for an evening rally and march.

“It’s open to the whole community,” explained Needham High School senior Cassie Sham, a member of the school’s Take Back the Night Club, which organizes the event. “It’s meant to inform people about the issues of domestic violence and sexual assault and is open to anyone who wants to support the cause or learn more about it.”

The event will be held from 6:00-9:00 p.m. at the NHS cafeteria and will include live music, guest speakers, a candlelight march and a visit from The Clothesline Project.

The Clothesline Project, started on Cape Cod in 1990, features T-shirts decorated with statements written by individuals who have experienced domestic violence or sexual assault. The exhibit will be on display in the high school for this event.

The evening also will include free refreshments and a raffle, and the group will be selling their own T-shirts with proceeds going toward future Take Back the Night programs.

“Personally, I felt it was important to get involved with the project because I’ve had a few friends who have dealt with domestic violence, and I’ve heard a lot about it through other people,” Sham said. “It’s just something that people should be educated about because it is something that should not be happening.”

The free program is open to men and women of all ages. The group will march around the high school and may expand their walk into the community, Sham said.