March to end male violence taking place in Scunthorpe

It's happening on International Women's Day

Womens march against male violence
Author: Andy MarshPublished 8th Mar 2022

A march to end male violence against women is taking place in Scunthorpe today.

It coincides with today's International Women's Day.

It's been backed by North Lincolnshire Council with support from Humberside police and Ongo as well.

The Council says "Every walker will get a free snapband and glow stick, and people are encouraged to bring torches and banners to make their presence felt as they walk around the town centre.".

The campaign encourages people to call out abuse including street harassment, coercive control, unwanted touching, workplace harassment, revenge-porn and cyber-flashing.

A new website sets out how people can intervene safely, or report abuse to police, voluntary agencies or managers.

The campaign comes on the back of the national outcry after the kidnap, rape and murder a year ago of Sarah Everard by Wayne Couzens, a serving Met Police officer, as she walked home in south London.

Anyone wanting to take part in the Reclaim The Night march is asked to assemble at the Central Park car park off Kingsway, Scunthorpe from 6pm on Tuesday 8 March.

The 2.9 mile guided walk around Scunthorpe town centre begins at 6.30pm and will take around an hour.

Anyone under 16 years must be accompanied by an adult.

For more information, contact saferneighbourhoods@northlincs.gov.uk

We spoke to Lisa Vickers who's a women's safety campaigner from Scunthorpe and will be attending the march tonight.

She says "I feel angry and frustrated that after 30 years (of her campaigning) I'm still going to be there marching for an end to violence for women and girls".

"I want to show our solidarity to women and girls, we support you, we hear you and we demand change particularly in the criminal justice system".

"We want to highlight that things need to change and they need to change now".

"I'm angry because I was doing reclaim marches 30 years ago and I think things have actually got worse not better for women and girls".