March against gender-based violence to be held

A protest against gender-based violence is due to be held by campaigners in Sheffield later.

The Reclaim the Night march is expected to take place on Saturday evening, with organisers calling for more street lighting in the city, as well as better services for those who have experienced sexual assault and harassment.

The event was due to start at Sheffield Cathedral at about 17:45 GMT and end at the University of Sheffield Students' Union concourse at about 19:00 GMT, organisers said.

Eloise Taylor, women's officer at the Students' Union, said while such marches had first started in the 1970s, gender-based violence was "still an issue" in 2024.

Reclaim the Night marches began in Leeds in 1977 to highlight the growing danger to women after dark, and partly in response to a string of murders in West Yorkshire and Manchester carried out by serial killer Peter Sutcliffe.

Police at the time had suggested that women should stay indoors, but instead campaigners took to the streets to protest against that approach.

Ms Taylor, who organised this weekend's march in Sheffield, said the Casey Review in 2023, which highlighted failings in how the Metropolitan Police tackled violence against women, showed there was still a need for the Reclaim the Night movement.

She explained: "The Met Police are having budget cuts and they're underfunding that area, so women have been sidelined in that respect.

"I think it's still an issue we're seeing today, and until it's no longer an issue I think this march should keep going to raise awareness."

For Saturday's event, participants were asked to gather at Sheffield Cathedral at 17:45 GMT for speeches before the march got under way 30 minutes later.

It was expected to finish at 19:00 GMT at the University of Sheffield Students' Union concourse, and would be followed by a vigil including a one-minute silence to remember those who had lost their lives as a result of gender-based violence.

The march was open to "women, marginalised genders and carers and dependents of all genders", organisers said.

They added that the march was a forerunner to more events as part of the United Nations 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign which runs from 25 November to 10 December.

Ms Taylor said she hoped the events in Sheffield over that period would help empower people.

"We've got some self-defence classes which are open to anyone and we're bringing in different organisations across Sheffield to talk about what safety procedures they have in place," she said.

"It's definitely a way to tackle gendered violence and end it."

A second Reclaim the Night march, organised by Sheffield Hallam University students, is expected to be held on 25 November to coincide with the start of the 16 days of action.

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