Hundreds of people are expected to take to the streets of Belfast and Londonderry this Saturday in simultaneous marches to demand an end to gender-based violence.
Yesterday marked International Day to End Violence Against Women and saw the start of 16 days of events culminating on Human Rights Day on December 10.
Last night, dozens of people gathered at Writers Square in Belfast to kick-start the events organised by the Reclaim the Night movement.
The event, the 11th since it was revived in 2014, takes place against a backdrop of increasing violence against women across Northern Ireland, with six women being murdered this year.
Crowds will gather at both Writers Square and Ebrington Square to hear from speakers on issues around gender-based violence, before marching through the city streets.
Tanya Kearns, chairperson of Safe Night NI, who will address the Belfast rally, said: “Safe Night NI want everyone to be able to enjoy nightlife without fear and are particularly highlighting the issue of spiking which has been of growing concern in recent years.”
The march will also hear from Claire Moore (ICTU), Lauren Bond (SSUNI), Alexa Moore (the Rainbow Project), Dr Naomi Greene and the Sex Workers Alliance Ireland.
Reclaim the Night Belfast will finish with a performance from Juanita Rea who is launching her new single ‘My Body, All Mine’ following two successful runs of ‘The Vagina In The Room’, a multidisciplinary performance piece.
Co-organiser Danielle Roberts said that Reclaim the Night movement was building on decades of similar actions by motivated women, adding it was continuing to grow from strength to strength.
“While Stormont has returned and has launched the Ending Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy, which we welcome, we need to see how this will be implemented and resourced.”
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Helen Crickard of Reclaim the Agenda said the movement’s 16 Days programme will include a range of talks, workshops and webinars.
She added: “In the past year, we’ve seen an increase in racist hate crime and intimidation, a recent string of attacks in Derry, and six women murdered. We also note the disproportionate impact of conflicts around the world on women in places like Palestine, Sudan, Ukraine and many more.’”
Kellie Turtle, chair of Reclaim the Agenda added: “Reclaim the Night is a chance for us to hear how Gender Based Violence impacts particular groups, as well as a space for us to come together in solidarity with victims and survivors. On Saturday we’ll be raising our collective voices across the province and reclaiming public space for all.”
The original Reclaim the Night rally took place on the streets of Leeds in 1977 as a protest against the West Yorkshire police’s advice to women to stay at home at night in response to 13 murders carried out by the Yorkshire Ripper.
Feminists in Belfast held a number of events in the 1980’s before it was revived ten years ago in the midst of rising levels of sexual violence and assault. The campaign has expanded to include all gender-based violence.