‘Angry women will change the world’: Uni of Lincoln SU’s ‘Reclaim the Night’ march returns

On Thursday 14th November, Lincoln Students’ Union’s annual “Reclaim the Night” march returned to the city’s streets.

Reclaim the Night is a movement that aims to put an end to gender-based violence, sexual harassment and sexual violence.

The first Reclaim the Night march took place in Leeds on 12th November 1977. It was organised by the Leeds Revolutionary Feminist Group and was inspired by a march against male violence in Brussels in 1976.

Reclaim the Night has been an annual part of Lincoln Students’ Union’s events calendar since 2017. Since then, it has been raising awareness for violence against women and women’s safety in Lincoln, with more students, staff and locals turning out each year.

On Thursday, people began gathering outside the Students’ Union from 5.30pm, eager to begin the march. Student wellbeing officers from the SU were handing out goodie bags to all attendees, containing pins and stickers and glow-sticks to light up the march.

The night began with three amazing speeches by members of the Lincoln community all urging for an end to violence against women and girls.

First, Lincoln Students’ Union’s student support and development officer, Amelia, gave some introductory words to the march. She said: “The night belongs to all of us because we all deserve to feel safe in our city.”

Next local author and businesswomen, Sue Liburd, gave an empowering speech, stating: “Tonight we gather, not just as individuals but as a united community with a powerful message. We are here to reclaim the night.”

Finally, Sara Munton, Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner for Lincolnshire, closed with some powerful words urging for safety for women on the streets of Lincoln.

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Sara said: “I am here not just as your Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner, but as a mum”.

Hundreds of marchers then took to the streets of Lincoln, walking up and down the High Street, spreading the marches campaign.

Students who attended the march came bearing signs featuring notable phrases like: “Educate Men”, “Angry Women Will Change The World” and “Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Bleeding”.

The crowd marched for around two hours, chanting for safety for women and girls on the streets of Lincoln.

Ebony, a Lincoln University student who attended the march said: “This is the second year I’ve been to the march and it feels even more important now than ever.

“When you have so many people together all shouting the same chants and holding up incredibly clever and moving signs you can feel exactly what the march is all about.”

Another student agreed with this sentiment, adding: “With the rise in violence against women [being] a very current issue plaguing society, it feels liberating to be a part of something so meaningful.”

According to the National Police Chief’s Council (NPCC), a woman is killed by a man every three days in the UK, with domestic abuse making up 18 per cent of all crime in England and Wales.

The National Policing Statement 2024 For Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) estimated that 2,048,483 female victims aged 16+ had experienced sexual harassment in 2023.

If you or someone you know is affected by this issues discussed in this article, support is available at the university through Student Wellbeing or by emailing [email protected].