We went to Bristol’s biggest march against gender-based violence

Yesterday marked Bristol's annual Reclaim the Night March, bringing in feminists from all over the city.

Over 100 people gathered at Queen Square in Bristol city center, all with the common aim of ending violence against those who identify as women.

The group defiantly walked up Park Street with a chant as clear as their message: "Yes means yes, and no means no."

Other chants which attracted a sea of onlookers included, "Who are these streets? Our streets."

Yet, it seems as if the people walking our streets had little idea of the gendered violence which students face.

One member of public asked me if violence and harassment at night was a genuine problem — the answer is as resounding as the protest itself; gendered violence is a problem, and one which we are no longer going to accept.

The march came at a particularly pertinent time this year, with a Freedom of Information Request from Avon and Somerset Police revealing that there were 49 reported cases of sexual assault in the Bristol area this January.

One thing is certainly clear from Reclaim the Night: these are our streets, but more than that, these will be our safe streets.