October is Sexual Violence Awareness month. On Friday, October 28, there is a community “Reclaim the Night” event being held at Bluewater Quay, commencing at 5.30pm. This event begins with a march, starting and ending at Bluewater Quay, to highlight that women and girls should be able to walk safely at any time of the day or night, free of sexual violence. There will be entertainment, speeches and a sausage sizzle. This is an open public event with everyone welcome.
Reclaim the Night is traditionally held on the last Friday in October, during Sexual Violence Awareness Month. Despite the march’s long and interesting history, it still, sadly, remains extremely relevant today.
Co-ordinated women’s marches against sexual harassment and rape first started in Europe and the USA in the mid-1970s. The first Reclaim the Night march in the UK was in 1977 in Leeds. Inspired by similar marches in West Germany, the Leeds march was partly in response to the “Yorkshire Ripper” murders and the police reaction, which was to tell women they should not go out at night unless absolutely necessary. These early Reclaim the Night marches fought for a woman’s right to walk without fear at night. They made it clear that women should not be restricted or blamed because of men’s violence. In Australia, the first Reclaim the Night marches were held in 1978 in Sydney and Perth.
Over the years, although the focus remains on sexual violence, Reclaim the Night has evolved to include other forms of violence against women.
Today people march as a show of resistance, strength and unity.
They march because they believe everyone has the right to feel safe and to BE safe.
They march to show a united front against violence of all kinds.
They march in honour of those without a voice and to remember those whose voice has been silenced.
They will join people from all over the world fighting for the right for women to feel safe — to be safe — no matter where they are, no matter what time of day it is, no matter what they’re doing or what they’re wearing.
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