Marchers protest at violence to women

Women and their supporters will take to take to Stirling’s streets on Friday evening in a show of solidarity as part of the Reclaim the Night movement.

The annual event originated in the 70s in response to violence against women and has become a global phenomenon.

And with the dawn of the Me Too movement this year’s event has particular significance.

Friday’s will be Stirling’s third Reclaim the Night march, meeting at 6.30pm at Stirling Castle esplanade for a 7pm start.

Reclaim the Night started in the UK in 1977, when women marched through the streets in Leeds to protest aganst a night-time curfew on women in response to the Yorkshire Ripper murders.

Rather than asking men to stay at home, women were told to remain inside in order to be safe from violence.

Forty years later women still take part in the march to demand justice, protest against rape and sexual violence and support a woman’s right to walk the streets without fear.

Stirling Council’s public safety convener Maureen Bennison said:“Reclaim the Night is open to everyone who wants to say a firm no to all forms of violence, controlling behaviours and abuse men use towards women.

“Marches and protests like Reclaim the Night empower women and girls to challenge everyday sexism. They also gives men an opportunity to look at their own behaviours towards women.”

Those taking part in the march can take glowsticks, lights and placards to make their presence felt.

For more information about the march go to www.forthvalleyrapecrisis. org.uk/reclaim-the -night.

There will also be a Christmas market in Stirling Arcade from 5.30-9pm on Friday, displaying the work of female craftworkers and raising money for Forth Valley Rape Crisis. The market was originally to be held at Stirling Indoor Bowling Club, Riverside.