Renfrewshire residents are being encouraged to join the annual march to end domestic abuse, harassment and violence against women and young people.
Reclaim The Night is a local event organised by Renfrewshire Council’s Community Learning and Development team, Women and Children First team, and its partners.
It is held as part of the United Nation’s global 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign. This year’s event takes place on Wednesday, November 27, in Paisley town centre.
Hundreds will gather at 5.45pm outside University of the West of Scotland entrance on Paisley’s High Street. The march starts at 6pm.
Pipers will lead the crowd down the High Street towards Dunn Square where a choir will sing as part of the memorial event to remember women and girls who have lost their lives to violence.
Afterwards, refreshments and entertainment will take place in Paisley Town Hall. People of any age can attend. Anyone under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
Renfrewshire’s Provost Lorraine Cameron said: “Reclaim The Night is an important event to raise our voices and tell the world that assaults and violence against women and young people is not acceptable.
“Everyone should be safe from gender-based violence. As a council, we continue to work with communities and our partners to make sure this is a safe place to live, work, study and visit.
“Women and young people should feel safe to be out at night free from the threat of sexual assault and harassment at all times of year, but especially during the dark nights in winter. I hope as many people as possible can come along to this event.”
In addition to the march, Paisley will also be turning orange as part of a wide-scale and poignant event that’s happening across the world.
‘Orange the World’ is a campaign championed by women’s charity, Soroptimist International Great Britain & Ireland (SIGBI), as part of the UN 16 Days of Activism.
According to the figures provided by the United Nations (UN), every 11 minutes, a woman is killed. Meanwhile, aaccording to the World Health Organisation (WHO), more than one in three women experience gender-based violence during their lifetime.
On November 25, the International Day of the Elimination of Violence against Women, SIGBI’s members – known as Soroptimists – will turn the UK orange as they begin their 16 Days of Activism, concluding only on December 10, Human Rights Day.
Soroptimists will also be marching in Paisley on November 28.
Ruth Healey, President of SIGBI, said: “Amounting to a national emergency, violence against women and girls can take so many forms – physical, emotional, financial, and coercive – and much of it is now hidden, which makes it so much harder to combat.
“It’s terrifying that between 2018 and 2023, there was a 37 per cent increase in violent crimes against women and girls.
“The issue is growing, and the urgency for collective action is underscored by staggering numbers and reports highlighting the prevalence of gender-based violence both nationally and globally.
“Gender-based violence needs to be unacceptable in all parts of our society, and it requires a multi-faceted approach to address it. This includes prevention, protection, and prosecution.”
Anyone suffering physical, mental and emotional abuse by a partner or family member is urged to reach out for help and support from the following organisations:
Scottish Domestic Abuse — call 0800 027 1234 or text/WhatsApp 07401288595;
Abused Men in Scotland — call 03300 949 395 and;
The council’s Women and Children First team — call 0300 300 0345.
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