'Everyone welcome' at Reclaim The Night march

A charity that supports victims of sexual abuse has said "everyone is welcome" at a march against violence towards women and girls.

Gloucestershire Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre's (GRASAC) Reclaim The Night march will take place in Cheltenham on Friday evening, as part of the 16 Days of Action campaign.

Rachel Hole, from GRASAC, said 800 victims of rape and sexual abuse from Gloucestershire were supported by the charity in 2023.

The origins of Reclaim The Night date back to the 1970s at the time of murders carried out by the Yorkshire Ripper, Peter Sutcliffe.

"The police issued advice [at the time] to women to stay at home to stay safe, and Reclaim The Night was born out of women saying, 'Why should we have to stay home... why don't men stop harming us?'," Ms Hole said.

"Sadly, 50 years later, we're still having the same conversations."

"We recognise that a lot of people are affected by male violence, including men and boys, but the majority of people affected are women and girls," Ms Hole said, adding that GRASAC supports sexual abuse victims regardless of gender.

Ms Hole said violence against women is something some people "think doesn't happen in Gloucestershire".

"Last year, we supported over 800 individuals and we have waiting list with far more people needing and wanting support," she said.

"There's a very serious message behind this, but the march itself is about bringing people together for a shared cause, and it can feel quite a positive experience."

A spokesperson for Gloucestershire Constabulary said: "Events such as Reclaim the Night show how vital it is that we redouble our efforts to secure justice for all women and girls who are subjected to intimidation and violence; most importantly, we must give women and girls the confidence to trust those in authority to take these matters seriously.

"This is more than just about protecting women and girls, but about changing the behaviour of men and boys through education about healthy relationships and ensuring they act appropriately."

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