Women reclaim the night in Barnstaple to mark the end of 16 Days of Action

A poignant Reclaim the Night lantern parade in Barnstaple has brought to a close 16 Days of Action across northern Devon calling for an end to gender-based violence.

The parade and vigil early on Saturday evening (December 9) was a march for women's rights, equality, women taking space and a protest against gender-based violence, as well as being held in memory of those women who had lost their lives to violence in the past 12 months.

It brought to an end more than two weeks of events and activities across North Devon and Torridge to mark the annual global campaign to raise awareness of gender-based violence and in particular violence against women and girls.

This year it has been organised locally by several organisations including Brave Spaces (part of Encompass Southwest), North Devon Against Domestic Abuse (NDADA), FearFree, Devon Rape Crisis, Devon County Council, Colab Exeter and MIND Somerset.

NDADA thanked the 40 or so attendees who turned out to support the event, as well as North Devon Council for making the Pannier Market available and staff from FearFree and Encompass Southwest for taking part.

It also thanked Beaford, Family Compass, Unlimited Dance Company, Sunrise Diversity, Barnstaple Town Council and Early Nourishment Community Interest Company for providing entertainment and refreshments on the way.

A smaller vigil was also held in Bideford on Thursday (December 7) but it was affected by bad weather.

Emma Bass of the Brave Spaces project, which works to support women living with domestic abuse or at risk from violence or homelessness, said: “Paying heed to and saying the names of the women who have been lost to violence in the last 12 months at the vigils was heart-rending and emotive but important.

“The 16 days of action became an opportunity to discuss a multitude of themes surrounding women’s rights, including the evolution and barriers to equality. The women who attended have been able to voice their experiences and opinions of abuse and sexual harassment and were able construct responses to the topic with some touching text and art works.

“We are very grateful to our partners at NDADA who organised a meaningful and poignant event on Saturday, which was carefully put together with refreshments and entertainment, from many contributing local organisations.

“NDADA staff had crafted paper lanterns which were carried to signify the women lost to male violence. It felt compelling to be together with several women of multiple generations for the march, the atmosphere was peaceful and emotive.”

“Events like these are important to widen and normalise the conversations around a subject as sensitive as sexual abuse and domestic violence.”

Reclaim the Night came to the UK more than 40 years ago. In 1977 women in Leeds took to the streets to protest the police requesting women to stay at home after dark in response to the murders of 13 women by Peter Sutcliffe.

Emma added: “It's hard to believe we're still marching, but women are still too often faced with violence and harassment, even harmless ‘banter’ which is normalised can reduce wellbeing and freedom for women.