Reclaim the Night in Edinburgh was a great success

I’ve been so busy doing White Ribbon stuff recently that I’ve had no time to write about it!

There was excellent publicity leading up to the Reclaim the Night march, including a piece in the Edinburgh Evening News , an article by Rebecca from the Edinburgh Feminist Network [EFN] in the F-Word and a radio interview we (me, Sandy Brindley from Rape Crisis Scotland and 2 members of the EFN) did for Good Morning Scotland on the BBC. I managed to capture the audio online so I will post it here when I have more time.

On Sunday 7th October, there was a film screening event at the Cameo cinema organised in conjunction with the March. I spoke a bit about White Ribbon before the films and the EFN talked about the March and the significance of these films. The films were excellent – Fire and Volver. It was a great opportunity to meet with the EFN and talk about the upcoming march and the men’s discussion group. The event was sold out and there was a good public response to the information stand and publicity for the March.

On Thursday 11th October I travelled through to Edinburgh for the March. We held a Men’s Discussion Group for an hour before the march set off. In the end about 10-15 people turned up and it was great to have a chance to talk about a wide range of issues relating to men’s violence against women. We focused particularly on what men can do to get more involved. To my delight several members of the group decided there and then to form a White Ribbon Edinburgh group and to meet again next week. So if anyone would like to go along, the meeting will be upstairs in the Wash Bar on The Mound from 7.30pm onwards on Thursday 18th October.

We then joined the Reclaim the Night March which had come from Lothian Road, along Princes Street and up to the Mound. There must have been several hundred people marching and excellent support from bystanders too. We marched down to the Meadows where a rally was held, including stories read out from survivors of sexual violence, and speakers from the march organisers (EFN), Sandy Brindley from Rape Crisis Scotland and me on behalf of White Ribbon. I was very nervous beforehand and the bright lights on stage made it almost impossible to read what I had prepared and written down! But I did my best to improvise, and I think it worked out well because the crowds cheered and quite a few people said later it had been a really good speech. Some members of the EFN filmed the whole march and rally so it may appear on YouTube someday!

There was a short post march article in the Edinburgh Evening News again on Friday 12th October.

You can find out more information about the event, including photos, at the Reclaim the Night Facebook group and blog.

Iain

Reclaim the Night March – Glasgow – November 29th 2007

The excitement is building for the March in Edinburgh this week and now this news hot off the press from the Rape Crisis Centre in Glasgow…….

Reclaim the Night March – Glasgow – November 29th 2007

In 1999 the United Nations adopted a resolution designating the 25th November ‘International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women’ and calling for worldwide organisation of activities to raise awareness about this issue. This day heralds the beginning of 16 Days of Action for the Elimination of Violence Against Women which ends on 10th December, International Human Rights Day. These two dates are symbolically linked to highlight that violence against women is a violation of women’s basic human rights. These 16 Days of Action also include World Aids Day on 1st December and the anniversary of the Montreal Massacre on December 6th.

Since the 1970s, women across the world have been coming together to reclaim our right to safety on the streets, in our homes, our schools and our workplaces. We are reclaiming the right to be free from all violence and abuse – verbal abuse, sexual harassment, sexual assault, rape, domestic abuse, commercial sexual exploitation, trafficking and murder.

The Rape Crisis Centre in Glasgow are organising a march and rally on 29th November 2007 to mark the 16 Days of Action and to make our voice heard when we say STOP VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN. We are reclaiming the right to our own bodies, to our own safety in every aspect of our lives.

Join us at 6.15 pm on 29th November 2007 at University Avenue (off Byres Road) in Glasgow to march to the STUC at 333 Woodlands Road, Glasgow for a rally which will commence at 7.00 pm. We welcome all women and men supporters to walk with us at this event.

For more information, contact the Rape Crisis Centre on 0141 552 3201 or by email info@rapecrisiscentre-glasgow.co.uk
Flyer for Reclaim the Night March – Glasgow – November 29th 2007

More information on the Reclaim the Night march

The timetable for the Reclaim the Night march on 11th October has now been finalised and looks like this:-

6.30 – 7.30 Men’s Discussion Group and Pre-march gathering (seperate venues, the discussion group will be held at the Wash Bar on the Mound)
7.30 – 8.30 March to begin on Lothian Road (Men to join at the Mound). March to the Meadows.
8.30-9.00 Rally in the Meadows.
9.30- After Party. Venue TBC.

During the march, discussions and rally we hope to show how various forms of women’s oppression are linked up. To make make clear the links between, for example, objectification of women in advertising and the culture in which violence against women is made acceptable.

The Edinburgh Feminist Network got the idea for the discussion group from a Reclaim the Night march held at Columbia University in New York and so I hope to make contact with the facilitators of that group ahead of the march.

Reclaim the Night – Edinburgh, 11th October 2007

A date for your diary. The Edinburgh Feminist Network is organising a Reclaim the Night march in Edinburgh on 11th October 2007. As part of the event I’ve been invited to facilitate a men’s discussion group at the Wash Bar on the Mound. The discussion will take place from 6:30 to 7:30 and will hopefully introduce some ideas about resisting violence against women, and especially what men can do to get involved.

The march will then start around 7:30 from Lothian Road, and men will be welcome to join in solidarity at a respectful distance at the back. Following the march there will also be a rally around 8-9pm. I may be invited to speak at this too – more details when I have them.

For more info visit the Reclaim the Night Edinburgh blog

Some history of Reclaim the Night marches