Reclaim the Night in Ladywood
Birmingham Feminists are holding their first Reclaim The Night march on Saturday 17th October 2009 on the streets of Ladywood.
From their website:
"The march will take us from the top of the city to an area that we feel needs to be ‘reclaimed’ from its reputation as a ‘no go’ area for the women of Birmingham. This event will unite women across the Midlands with women from out of area, to march and take a stand against violence against women, and particularly against the myth that a victim of sexual violence is somehow responsible for their victimisation if they walked home alone at night, or wore revealing clothing, or talked to a man at a bar."
"This is a women only march. We define this as any person who self-defines as a woman. We do feel that men are an extremely important part of the movement. However, there is a symbolism to a women only march for Reclaim The Night that separates it from marches for other causes. This is a HUMAN problem, but it is the collective voice of WOMEN that needs to be heard."
"The march will be followed by a rally with speakers from the Anawim Project, the Women of Allen’s Croft and Sandwell Rape Crisis among others. This rally is free to enter and is a gender mixed event. We will then be holding a fund-raising after party in the city centre with proximity to travel options (also mixed)."