image‘Standing shoulder to shoulder with one another the fear disappeared.’

Women in Coventry took part in the first Reclaim the Night march in Coventry City centre for 30 years recently.

Over a hundred women attended, proudly carrying placards and banners, marching through the streets of Coventry and chanting loudly.

The march was organised by Warwick University Anti-Sexism Society, Coventry University Gender Equality Society, Coventry Women’s Voicesand Coventry Feminists, and supported by Unite.

The Reclaim the Night marches, which occur at different times throughout the UK, aim to challenge the violence that women experience and declare that women are never to blame for being sexually assaulted, and should not have their behaviours restricted.

I had never been to a Reclaim the Night march before – actually I’ve never been to a march before – and at first I felt unsure about shouting loud chants in the street, but soon the feeling of solidarity with the other women gave me the confidence to join in.

In Coventry over 30,000 women have been raped or sexually abused in their lifetime; with approximately 2,600 being raped or sexually abused every year.

Last year a survey conducted by Coventry Women’s Voices and Coventry University revealed that 61 per cent of women had experienced  incidents of harassment within the past 12 months.

Almost 40 per cent of women who responded to the survey said they do not feel safe on the streets of Coventry.

Types of harassment experienced included wolf whistling, unwanted sexual comments and groping, with the majority – 59 per cent – of incidents occurring on the street.

It is against this background that the march was held; doubtless many women on the march have experienced harassment in the city – myself included – and understand the feeling of fear women often experience in public spaces.

But standing shoulder to shoulder with one another the fear disappeared; a unified front against the harassment and violence women experience as we move through life.

Representatives from various women’s organisations in the city joined in the march, including Coventry Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre, Kairos and Foleshill Women’s Training.

Speaking before the march, Rosa Parker-Hinton, from Warwick Anti-Sexism Society,  said: “Harassment and fear of attack causes women to feel unsafe in public places.

“Most women alter their behaviour because of this, avoiding certain places, not going out alone or driving rather than using public transport.

“Women are still blamed for being raped and for sexual violence inflicted on them.

“A poll found that over a third of the British public surveyed believed that women were sometimes wholly or partly to blame if they were raped due to walking alone at night, how they are dressed, being drunk or other similar factors.

“We will march in Coventry to challenge this; to maintain that women are never to blame for being sexually assaulted, and should not have their behaviours restricted, rather than the blame culture being challenged.

“We will march for our rights to live free of fear of sexual violence. We will march to Reclaim the Night!

Coventry’s – first female – leader of the Council, Councillor Anne Lucas, couldn’t attend the event, but sent those marching this message of encouragement: “All sisters have the right to walk our streets – regardless of age or mode of dress.  We shouldn’t ever feel afraid.  Reclaim Coventry’s Streets tonight.”

And Yvonne Mosquito, Deputy Police Crime Commissioner for the West Midlands spoke as women gathered, emphasising her support, and the need to end violence against women.

As the march ended, at the steps of Coventry’s famous cathedral, several women spoke, including some who read poems about their own experiences of violence and harassment.

For the first Reclaim the Night march that has been held in the city for such a long time it was amazing to see so many women attending, of all backgrounds and ages, standing together to demand an end to violence against women and the right to feel safe on the streets of our city.

Here’s to next year.

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