"The fewer the people who know the truth about rape, the more it hurts each one. We should not put the burden on victims speaking out to accomplish change. We should not need to hear what has been said so many times already. It is up to us to give Reclaim The Night meaning, and we can only do that if we take the truth of their words and make it the truth of our behaviour."
Alice Vachss
Author of "Sex Crimes: Ten Years on the Front Line Prosecuting Rapists and Confronting Their Collaborators"
"Women should feel safe walking Britain's streets at anytime of night or day, this is a basic human right that should be fiercely protected by government. 'Reclaim the Night' demands this right for women and I wholeheartedly support it. A woman is absolutely never to blame for a sexual attack or rape. At this time of media hysteria about young girls binge-drinking and pitiful conviction rates for rapists 'Reclaim the Night' has never been more important."
Mary Honeyball MEP
Labour Spokesperson in the European Parliament Women's Rights Committee
"I'm honoured to be able support this year's Reclaim the Night, which I hope will send out a strong message to the public and to local authorities that the streets need to be made a great deal safer for women and girls. Sadly, despite international and national initiatives, there remains a global crisis of gendered violence. Not enough is being done to care for the victims, adequately punish the perpetrators, and to make this sort of violence absolutely unacceptable. Governments must ensure that more is done to support the victims of rape and sexual abuse, male intimidation and violent attacks of all kinds. Our government must also urgently address the funding crisis faced by many specialist support agencies like Rape Crisis centres, which offer enormous support to women when they are most vulnerable."
Dr Caroline Lucas MEP
Green Party
"Imagine the future - imagine a city that in its everyday comings and goings celebrates women rather than exploits them, where the streets are not only secure but sweet, places of safety and public pleasure, where both women and men, the genders and the generations experience respect.
"That's the future we want. That's why its worth joining Reclaim the Night."
Beatrix Campbell
Writer and Broadcaster |
