Reclaim the Night

Reclaim the Night is a peaceful protest first organised in Australia in 1978. This international event is designed to raise community awareness of sexual violence against women and children. Women often report feeling stronger, more positive and confident after participating in this women's only event.

Some statistics for your information:

• Kevin Rudd in his keynote speech at the White Ribbon Dinner in September 2009, stated that 1 in 4 children will witness sexual violence perpetrated against their mother.
• 57% of Australian women experience physical or sexual violence during their lives (Amnesty International 2005 Fact Sheet).
• The need for Reclaim The Night is evident in research into the gendered nature of sexual and domestic violence. 57% of Australian women experience physical or sexual violence during their lives (Amnesty International 2005 Fact Sheet). This statistic is 40 times higher for Indigenous women (Vaisutus).
• Sexual violence against women is perpetrated by men in 99% of cases. Young women aged 18 to 24 are at the greatest risk of violence (ABS 1996). These figures indicate the need for prevention of sexual violence toward women and children. Women and children deserve a life free from discrimination and fear.

Tweed Shire Women's Service is dedicated to Reclaim the Night and its aims to;

• protest that many women and children live in fear of male sexual violence
• facilitate discussion and encourage a community response to violence against women and children
• celebrate women's strength and survival in a world where violence happens so often
• work towards a safer society for everyone.

Reclaim The Night is organised by women around the world each year to raise community awareness of sexual violence against women and children.

Reclaim The Night represents a claim for women’s and children’s basic human right to live in freedom from discrimination and fear of violence.

In recent years TSWS has sent the following demands for action to all levels of government;

• We demand an end to violence in all its forms.
• We demand an end to the sexualisation and objectification of women through advertising and the media.
• We demand the end of the use of images that are sexist because they maintain a culture of rape and abuse.
• We demand rigorous and thorough policing of internet porn sites and harsher penalties for those who both make and view child pornography.
• We demand that sports leaders actively work to change a culture of tolerance of sexual violence within their respective codes.
• We demand that changes are made to the criminal justice system to ensure that victims are well supported and that judicial officers are better trained to understand sexual violence and its impacts.
• We demand that abortion be decriminalised and women have access to free, safe and legal abortions in Australia.
• We demand that women with disabilities have equal access to services including, police, health and legal services.
• We demand all levels of government take active steps towards reconciliation, to address systems abuse of Australia’s Indigenous population.

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