Vigil hosted in Newquay to demand safety for women and girls
Last year, around 5,900 women were raped or sexually assaulted and around 14,700 women experienced domestic abuse
A Reclaim the Night march and vigil is being hosted in Newquay to honour women whose lives have been taken by violence.
The Women’s Centre Cornwall is inviting people across Cornwall to demand safety and freedom for women and girls by joining their annual Reclaim The Night event.
Taking place on 24th November 2023 from 6.00pm at the Killacourt bandstand, Newquay, it is an opportunity for people to connect as a community and reflect upon how we can take action to create a better society for ourselves and generations to come.
In the last year alone in Cornwall, around 5,900 women were raped or sexually assaulted and around 14,700 women experienced domestic abuse.
Violence against women and girls continues to be one of the most urgent human rights emergencies in the UK and across the world, with 1 in 3 women being subject to some form of sexual or domestic abuse in their lifetime.
Jackie May, CEO of The Women’s Centre Cornwall comments: "The message is clear, women and girls do not consent to living in a society where they are not safe, respected and free in all spaces. We are asking our community to come together and take action to uproot the misogynistic beliefs, attitudes and behaviour that contribute to a culture of disrespect, abuse and violence towards women and girls. Join our movement to end violence against women and girls.
"We’re encouraging people to bring your friends and family...bring your voice, flowers, lights and banners as we make noise, create warmth and take up space."
The event will begin with a candlelit vigil to honour the lives of the women and children taken by male violence across the UK this year. Each woman’s life will be represented by a candle and a pebble bearing their name, created by the Young Empowered Women’s Group. People are invited to bring flowers to lay at the vigil, as well as torches, fairy lights or anything else that will make the group visible as they take up space in Newquay.
Following the vigil, there will be a live music performance by the Songbirds choir, spoken word poetry by the Young Empowered Women’s Group, a dance performance by KBSK Performing Arts and guest speaker Viv Gordon, child sexual abuse survivor-artist-activist.
The vigil will be followed by the peaceful women’s march through the streets of Newquay, with people encouraged to share the message that they do not tolerate harassment, abuse and violence and the misogyny that sits at the foundation of it all.
The Women’s Centre Cornwall provides life-changing services to over 1,000 women a year through a wide range of projects and services across Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Eastwood Park Prison. The charity is run by women, for women and offers an empowering, women-centred approach to the healing journey.
Reclaim The Night is a wheelchair accessible event open to all, including children. There may be strong language.
Police and neighbourhood community response officers will be in attendance for security purposes.
The day after the vigil, on 25th November, The Women’s Centre Cornwall is asking people to join their #UprootingMisogyny campaign at the start of 16 Days of Activism against gender-based violence.