Women of Cambridge Reclaim the Night

Last night, the women of Cambridge took to the streets to Reclaim The Night as part of a nationwide demonstration against rape and violence towards women.

Brandishing banners and beating drums, over a hundred self-defining women braved the cold and marched from Parker’s Piece to King’s Chapel, where the Chaplin warmly welcomed demonstrators in for the candle-lit vigil.

In a speech preceding the march, CUSU Women’s officer Lauren Steele said that “Cambridge is no exception to rape culture in our society”.

Across universities in the UK, 1 in 7 students have experienced sexual harassment whilst 1 in 20 have been raped. “That’s at least one person in your lecturers…” added one protestor from Murray Edwards.

Talking to The Tab, Liz Wilson, a third year at Corpus pointed to one sign, which read ‘I want to walk home alone!’.

“That’s the reason I’m here – I’m sick of the obligation to be walked home.”

Chris Page, an MPhil student at Queens, explained the importance of male participation in feminist events:

“We’re lucky because don’t have to fear violence walking home at night

“My girlfriend, however, feels afraid walking down the same route

“We need to provide support and speak out – have the courage to call out people in our own group of friends who are out of order.”

Walking past the march, onlookers were bemused. A post-grad from Caius, Marianne, told The Tab “I think this is great but I don’t feel scared here in Cambridge… I very feel secure.”

Photo credits: Imogen Chitty