The first event was held in Leeds, in response to the curfew put on women by the police after women’s safety concerns were raised, following the Ripper’s murders. It now coincides with the UN’s 16 days of activism against Gender-Based violence and is a global campaign spearheaded by the UN Secretary General, Anthony Guterres and the 25th November International Day of the Eradication of Violence Against Women.
For women, there is little to no explanation needed for why the event still has to go ahead. ‘Text me when you get home’, has become an all too common exchange after a night out. Sitting down with Newcastle’s It Happens Here President, Aimee Bond, she explained that the same problems faced by women decades ago are still prevalent in today’s society.
There is an assumption that women should be happy with the progress that has been made since the 70s, yet there remain few women who don’t feel unsafe walking home from a night out. With the safety work that women undertake, exacerbated by student's proportionally higher involvement in the night time economy, we are far off from equal gender footing and keeping everyone safe into the small hours.
Coming together up and down the country in large numbers in response to the everyday danger faced by women is inevitably moving. The safety work that women undertake that men don’t even have to think twice is staggering. A recent study by Women’s Aid details that women are more likely to be killed by their partner than they are to be killed by smoke or not wearing a seatbelt. Whilst statistics like that still exist and women still have stories of such experiences, it is inexcusable and there is undoubtedly still need for the event. Women are bored of having to regurgitate the same stories.
‘While it is still happening, we will still march’
Aimee went on to explain It Happens Here’s two-pronged approach at the University. The society not only provides support to survivors of gender based and sexual violence, but also it creates and promotes projects across campus such as the 2022 ‘Do Better’ campaign, which lobbied the University for mandatory consent training. The current project, ‘Flag it Newcastle’ looks at issues of domestic abuse and from January, the society’s ‘Reclaim your Education’ programme is set to restart. By heading into schools, the society aims to provide essential education and raise awareness surrounding themes of sexual violence and other related topics.
As the nights get darker, women put in so much mental and physical labour every day to protect themselves, but it is time for men to turn up and meet us in the middle. Aimee stresses that this doesn’t have to be through grand feminist gestures or protests, but also concerns not laughing off misogynist jokes and believing stories about women’s experiences. All of these things start with men and count towards creating a society which is more tolerant.
It Happens Here is open to anyone of any gender or orientation, with no experience necessary. Sign up now on the NUSU website and get involved:
https://nusu.co.uk/activities/view-society/93
Source: Aimee Bond, President of the It Happens Here, Newcastle