Two rallies held simultaneously in Northern Ireland have called for safer streets for women and girls.
On Saturday evening, November 30, crowds simultaneously marched in Belfast from Writers Square to Custom House Square and gathered in Derry's Ebrington Square to demand an end to gender-based violence.
Speaking at the Belfast rally, Tanya Kearns - who has spoken of her own traumatic experience of having her drinks spiked - has called on "spiking" to become a criminal offence. She said the rise in violence against women and girls in Northern Ireland has made changes to the law more urgent than ever.
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Tanya, who founded Safe Night NI to call for changes in the night-time economy, said the Reclaim the Night event has been a powerful source of inspiration for her.
She added: “Reclaim the Night inspired me to focus on creating real changes in the night-time economy, so everyone can feel safe. I am very proud to stand alongside some of Northern Ireland's most inspirational activists and use my voice to continue to highlight the dangers for marginalised communities in our night-time spaces.”
The Belfast rally was also addressed by Clare Moore of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions who said that ending violence against women and girls was a priority for the trade union movement.
She added: “Whether it be so called ‘low level’ sexism dressed up as banter or the heinous act of domestic violence and abuse, the trade union movement is clear that sexual violence and harassment has no place in our society or our workplaces. We are proud to support the work of Reclaim the Night and to stand for equality, dignity and respect.”
Alexa Moore of the Rainbow Project said that LGBTQIA+ communities were particularly at risk from gender-based violence, with bisexual women as well as trans people of all genders being more likely to experience domestic and sexual abuse.
She added: “Misogyny and gender-based violence should have no place in our society, but unfortunately are all too common, with Northern Ireland being one the most dangerous places in Europe to be a woman. It's about time that women, as well as LGBTQIA+ people, people of colour, disabled people, and all those who are subjected to higher levels of violence, are able to live free from violence and abuse."
The youngest speaker, 18-year-old Lauren Bond, president of the Secondary Students Union of Northern Ireland, said that for many young women their first experience of sexism and sexual harassment starts at school. She called on the Stormont Executive to introduce updated sexual abuse education to stop gender-based violence at its source.
Activist and academic Dr Naomi Green spoke about the increasing and widespread threats of violence online aimed against Muslim women, adding that the vile abuse on social media was ‘a threat to our very existence’.
At the same time, a large crowd gathered for a similar event at Ebrington Square in Derry/Londonderry as speakers called for collaborative action across the community to make the streets safer for women and girls.
The Derry event was attended by the Mayor Lilian Seenoi-Barr and among the speakers was young Derry woman Chloe Wilson, a sexual assault survivor who has called for tougher sentences for perpetrators.
Event organiser, Cassie Jane Buckley from the Foyle Women’s Information Network said: “This event wasn’t just about reclaiming physical spaces—it was about amplifying the voices of those who have been silenced, demanding accountability from our leaders, and showing that violence against women and girls is not just a women’s issue, but a community issue that affects us all.
"We are proud of the determination and collaboration shown by the women’s sector, our community groups, and everyone who joined us. This is just the beginning—together, we will keep pushing for the safer, more equal future that every woman and girl deserves.”
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.
For more information visit Reclaim the Night Belfast 2024 — Reclaim the Agenda
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