Skip to content

'It is scary': Women call for street safety action

BBC two women stand stand outside City Hall. The women on the left has brown hair, wears a pink blazer with a pink top underneath. The other has on a Pink and grey scarf with a pink hi-viz jacket, she has brown hairBBC
Shauna (left) and Aisling helped organise the march

Young women have been sharing their experiences of feeling unsafe on the streets of Belfast, as part of an event highlighting violence against women and girls.

About 500 people took part in the march which was organised by a Queen's University society called Walkie Talkie Girlies.

"You need to let people know where you are and stick together because that's the best way to keep safe, that’s what Walkie Talkie Girlies are trying to do," said one student.

They walked from Queen's university to Belfast City Hall, which was lit up pink to highlight the dangers faced by women and girls.

'Stick together to stay safe'

A girl with brown hair and green eyes wears a pink hi-viz over a pink jumper. She has on a gold necklace and gold star earings
Abi Dynan says she takes vital percautions when she is out in Belfast

Student, Abi Dynan said she and her friends share their phone locations with each other and stick together on nights out.

She said: "You need to let people know where you are and stick together because that's the best way to keep safe and that’s why I, and all our friends, have our locations shared with each other, whenever we are out we never leave each other, even if someone wants to go home early.

"You need to let people know where you are and stick together because that's the best way to keep safe and that’s what Walkie Talkie Girlies are trying to do."

When asked about the strategies in place to protect women and girls, she told BBC News NI "the ending violence strategy had some great sentiment but until events like this happen, where you can get the attention of people that need to take notice, nothing will happen."

Belfast City Hall is lit up by pink lights. Its night time and 100's of marchers are pictured in front of the building behind its black iron gates
Hundreds marched to City Hall to highlight violence against women and girls

'Scared to walk alone at night'

Plans were put in motion before recent incidents in Londonderry in which women were attacked in public.

Shauna McKey and Aisling Cannon, both law students, said the reality is that women are having to take precautions to protect themselves against harassment and violence.

"Even just sharing your location with friends, where you're going to be, estimated times of when you're going to get there, carrying a personal safety alarm," said Aisling.

"Also trying not to walk by yourself. These are the things you have to do as a woman to make yourself feel safer. This is what is happening, this is the reality for a lot of people."

Shauna McKey said safety was always in the back of her mind.

"When it does come into the darker nights and it's cold and you have your hood up, you're glancing around to make sure nobody's following you, you're panicking a bit.

"I commute to and from university and walking in the darker nights, it is scary."

A girl with brown hair stands in front of city hall, she has on a brown jacket and gold necklace
'I dont want to become a statistic,' said Winona

Due to recent events, some find it imperative to join organisations like Walkie Talkie Girlies.

Winona is one of them.

"The news that Belfast was the most violent city in Europe made me inclined to do something about it, so when I heard about this event happening, I knew I had to go.

She told BBC News NI "when you see these things in the news, you don’t want to become part of a statistic."

A girl with brown hair stands in front of city hall, she has on a brown jumper underneath a pink hi-viz. She has on golden earings
Shonagh says passing comments or wolf-whistling should never be normalised

Shonagh Gill is also a student and told BBC News NI no matter the occasion she has to keep alert.

"It’s definitely something I’ve become more conscious of, like even tonight I’m wondering how am I going to get home tonight by myself."

Having moved to Belfast from Donegal she said the issue became more prevalent after moving as "growing up it was one of those things to always be aware and then you get out and things happen, you're like well he’s just being overly friendly but that’s not normal.

"Even just passing comments or a wolf-whistle walking down the streets, it shouldn’t be normalised.”