to think there should be an MN presence at Reclaim the Night?

[ElephantsAndMiasmas]

On 27th November the annual Reclaim the Night march takes place in London. AIBU to think it'd be great to have a bunch of MNers (possibly with banner) walking together?

Details here

"A recent survey by the young women?s magazine More in 2005 found that 95% of women don?t feel safe on the streets at night, and 65% don?t even feel safe during the day. 73% worry about being raped and almost half say they sometimes don?t want to go out because they fear for their own safety.

In every sphere of life we negotiate the threat or reality of rape, sexual assault and sexual harassment. We cannot claim equal citizenship while this threat restricts our lives as it does. We demand the right to use public space without fear. We demand this right as a civil liberty, we demand this as a human right.

The Reclaim The Night march gives women a voice and a chance to reclaim the streets at night on a safe and empowering event. We aim to put the issue of our safety on the agenda for this night and every day."

AIBU?

bumping for any more thoughts?

I will be there E&M - have already spoken to you on the other thread.

I think it's really important to highlight not only the more newsworthy violent rapes and attacks but also the more "low level" stuff that tends to be dismissed. I should be able to walk the streets at night (or during the day) without being directed to "get my tits out" or having random strangers think it's ok to grope my bum.

Obviously the more serious attacks are the focal point but I do think that it's really important to emphasise that unwanted touches, gropes and comments are unacceptable and not "a bit of a laugh".

Women are not put on this earth for the amusement of men and that's why I will be marching on the 27th.

Hi E&M

I'm 100% coming. It's my first RTN and I can't wait!

Can we arrange a meeting point for us MNers, so we can easily find each other? I would love to meet up, as I'm probably coming on my own

i might come along if can make it

where are people meeting?

by people i mean mners

and also - waht age of child?

Facebook event invitation here

I just struggle to see what it actually achieves.... Yes we would love absolute safety at night but a march will not get us that. Better policing, stronger justice, better lighting and transport and a sense of community might get us halfway there...none of that is got through a march.

and how will sitting at home doing nothing achieve anything?
At least by marching, women are publicly highlighting that changes need to be made. We are saying that we WANT better policing, stronger justice, better lighting and transport and a sense of community...and we are willing to shout about it.

the march raises awareness fro teh need for all that coraltoes. how can you not see that?

and how will sitting at home doing nothing achieve anything?

At least by marching, women are publicly highlighting that changes need to be made. We are saying that we WANT better policing, stronger justice, better lighting and transport and a sense of community...and we are willing to shout about it.

oops. damn laptop....

should no-one ever march for a cause or to highlight an issue taht they think needs adressing? should we all just sit in our armchairs and bitch about the world but not actually do anything to change it?

Don't worry UmYeah it seemed just as sensible the second time as the first. :)

coraltoes - the march in itself obviously does not solve the problems, but it states our demands that these changes are made.

Also, on a more personal level, the women who see it are seeing that there is a whole load of other women who are willing to stand up for them, who are grouping together to make a noise and to demand our right to live in safety as citizens. I often think how many women the march must pass by, whether on the street or in their flats or on the bus, who have experienced rape or assault, and may realise that other people care about what is happening to them.

HerBea - be great if you could come. Think Rachy said up to age 14 is fine. Not sure about time/meeting spot etc yet.

Should say...let alone the women on the march.

I just wish that more women would come out and join in, because if everyone who wished that something would be done would get out on the streets and be part of it, then they would have to do something!

But i don't think it does create much awareness, I can't imagine many people i work with- in a very large central london office- have heard about this. We're also beyond the stage of needing just "awareness"...everyone is aware that the streets do not feel safe at night. Men and Women. The issue now is as we're all aware, how do we improve it. Not how do we keep creating awareness! I also don't sey why there is a need to make it a gender specific issue. Men and women live in fear of attack, men and women get attacked regardless of the perpetrator of the crime. We should be aiming to stop both rather than segregate the issues.

I remember going on one of these marches about 7 yrs ago at uni...if they have been running since then, yet the situation worsening it doesn't really suggest they have much of an impact.
I never said to sit at home and do nothing, did i? I just dont think a march is the most effective way of putting the issue across, it doesn't clear up dingy areas of our neighbourhoods, it doesn't move gangs off street corners, it doesn't enable the police to do anything more than they could the day before. However working with local police/community officers, lobbying local council for better lighting, transport chiefs for safer stations in highlighting the real problems areas and exploring how to improve them, mobilising those who do live in fear to vocalise their concerns to their MPs and ask for help to improve areas...that sort of activity is more powerful. Rather than "shouting about it" how else have you tried to engage with the key bodies responsible for our streets? What sort of results have you had?

In the past I have attended neighbourhood mtgs with local police and council to explain where the "fear areas" are for women, and that has proven very successful in improving the safety of those previously dark streets and train stations. To assume just because I do not march, i sit at home and do nothing is pretty naive.

If the people in your office haven't heard about it, might I suggest you tell them about it?

Agree with coraltoes. A bunch of people going for a walk through London is not going to make a blind bit of difference in real life.

What if a million women walked? 5 million? At what point does it make a point that the government can no longer ignore?

Yes but a million women are not going to walk though are they, let alone 5 million. That's one of the major points for me, not enough women are interested in this kind of thing.

If everyone who supported it (and I'm going to include you because you say not enough people are interested, which implies that they should be) did march, it would be huge.

There is nothing to gain by saying, nah, not coming, it's pointless because not enough people go.

that's not what i'm saying elephants. I'm saying that nowhere near enough women are interested in this to bother supporting it.

And no i'm not implying that they should be either, i think marches are a waste of time and the only effect they have is to make the marchees feel that they are'doing something'

why should i? they already know their streets are not safe. I work with 90% men...telling them about a march they cannot attend is pointless, it does not add to numbers, and nor does it help our streets become any safer. I'm still intrigued to hear how many marchers actually proactively engage with the key groups in their community to better their surroundings and safety. Marching is the easy option i'm afraid.

That's very patronising coraltoes - of course many of the people on the march are also active in their local communities. What on earth makes you think otherwise? Fawcett, Rape Crisis, Women's Aid etc have groups on the march - or do you think they're just lazy people looking for a walk and a feeling of smugness too?

So you think most women aren't interested in the fact that they and their friends/sisters/daughters get sexually assaulted, lemon?

There is a men's demo in support btw, at the Edith Cavell statue outside the national portrait gallery. Be nice to see them there. And at the rally/party afterwards.

' I work with 90% men...telling them about a march they cannot attend is pointless,'

so you didn't read my post about the solidarity demonstration organised by the London Profeminist Men's Group?