#ReclaimTheNight – A Feminist March through Southampton

Tonight, there was a slightly different air about Southampton City Centre as both women and men alike marched through the streets in protest against rape and all forms of male violence against women. There was over a hundred people in attendance.

Two chants that were used –

“We demand the rights to walk the streets at night!”

“Sexual Violence has to go, Say a Hey, Ho”

The march was extremely well organised into four sections – 1) Self-Identifying Women and Feminine Presenting Segment, 2) Pacing Section, 3) Main Section and 4) Family / Quietened Section. The local women’s drumming group Djembabes lead the march in the first section; which is only made up of women to respect traditions.

The march was attended by people from across Hampshire, including Portsmouth University Feminist group Sists Uncut as well as FemSoc from the University of Southampton. There was also students from Bournemouth, Winchester and Solent University.

The University of Southampton’s FemSoc Society said –

“A huge thank you to everyone that came. An event like this only works well with a group of loud voices and that’s exactly what we had! It’s such an important event, as the negative impacts of sexism are still being seen in everyday life, including but not limited to gender based violence and street harassment”

This is a nationwide event which is held every year on the closest Saturday to the 25th November. It was started in 1977 in major cities across the UK after first appearing in Germany.

Find out more at – http://www.reclaimthenight.co.uk/why.html.