Grimsby March Addresses Rise in Violence Against Women

An event named Reclaim the Night is scheduled to occur in Grimsby, aiming to draw attention to violence against women and girls in the wake of an increase in related offenses. Participants are set to gather outside Grimsby Institute at 18:00 GMT on Monday, from where they will march through the town centre. North East Lincolnshire councillors Emma Clough and Sophia Farren took the initiative to organize the event. Their decision was influenced by their “shock” at recent local statistics that revealed an increase in violence against women. Ms. Clough articulated their reasoning, stating: “Going to meetings and writing letters is all well and good, but we wanted to do something for the community.” Data from the Local Democracy Reporting Service indicates that offenses categorized as violence against women and girls in North East Lincolnshire saw an increase of more than 26%, totaling over 5,300 cases in the 2023/24 fiscal year. This demonstration forms part of the international 16 days of action for the elimination of violence against women, which commenced on 25 November. Ms. Clough articulated the event’s objective, stating: “The aim of the march is to raise awareness because obviously we are in the 16 days of action on violence against women and girls.” She also emphasized its broad appeal: “It’s not a march for women, it’s a march for everybody, our allies as well. It’s friendly, it’s peaceful.” The Reclaim the Night movement originated with the women’s liberation movement in Leeds in 1977. Its initial campaign focused on advocating for the safety of women in public spaces at night, a cause it pursued until the 1990s. In recent years, the movement has experienced a revival, resulting in Reclaim the Night marches being conducted in various locations across Lincolnshire, including Scunthorpe and Lincoln.