Last Saturday (21st November 2015) in Newcastle 150 men women and children braved the cold weather to march from Old Eldon Square to Sports Central for the ninth Annual Reclaim the Night event organised by the Northern TUC Women's Group, headed by the Bangshees (a band of fabulous female drummers).
Speakers at the rally included Julia Charlton as chair of the Northern TUC women's committee and Ruth Lewis (FADSS) on Lad Culture in universities. With colleagues at Northumbria Uni she's working to address 'lad culture' to try to make students' experiences of university safe, welcoming and respectful.
Jenni Yuill, who represents the No More Page 3 Campaign, spoke movingly on 'Unity Across Borders' in response to the refugee crisis and 'Woman Up' which she founded 2 years ago and which runs events around the country that seek to inspire and unite women in exploring what it means to be a woman today.
Lizi Grey, Northumbria University Student Union Women Students' Rep, who spoke 'off the cuff' about how it is to be a female student now and face 'Lad culture'.
Did you know that 7 women die every day from domestic violence? An estimated one in five women has been a victim of domestic violence. Did you know that between 40 and 50% of women report some form of sexual harassment in the workplace? Did you know that 5% of women aged 15 or over have been raped and only 4 to 10% of women raped in Europe try to find justice? Also women with disabilities are 4 times more likely to experience sexual violence.
Violence against women is the most widespread violation of women's human rights in Europe. Its persistence and high prevalence demonstrate that our societies are still built on, vehicle and perpetuate patriarchal values and male domination.
Violence against women shapes women's place in society: their health, access to employment and education, integration into social and cultural activities, economic independence, participation in public and political life and decision-making, and relations with men. Besides being a cause of suffering and trauma which has devastating consequences for the mental, physical and sexual health of individual women, violence is a major barrier to the achievement of the goal to create a society based on the principles of participation and citizenship, and in direct contradiction with the EU Treaty goal of promoting equality between women and men.
