Thousands of women and children mobilised around Australia on October 28 to reclaim the night. Since its origins in the 1970s, this annual march has given expression to women's determination to find answers to domestic and sexual violence. This year, many actions noted the sad irony of 1994 being the Year of the Family and the fact that the home is where much of the violence against women and children is committed.
From Adelaide, Merrie Caruana reports that more than 2000 boisterous women of all ages marched from Victoria Square to Parliament House blowing whistles, singing and chanting "Yes means yes, no means no, whatever I wear, wherever I go". There was much support from men, who were invited to walk on the sides.
Speakers at the rally included lawyer Claire O'Connor, state politician Anne Levy and CISLAC activist and worker at the Dale Street Women's Centre Monica Chiappe. Chiappe pointed to language barriers and the lack of services as contributing to the high levels of violence faced by migrant and refugee women.
From Brisbane, Susan Price reports that 100 Logan and Albert Shire women and children held their first Reclaim the Night rally and march in Kingston on October 27. The rally was addressed by Vicki Olgilvie from the Logan Women's Crisis Centre and Natalie Keys and Kirri, sexual assault workers from the Logan Women's Health Centre. The rally demanded that the government adopt proposals drafted by the Women's Legal Service for a review of all rape laws, the decriminalisation of Queensland's prostitution laws and the repeal of all abortion laws.
The next night, more than 800 women marched in Brisbane's largest and most vibrant Reclaim the Night march ever. The rally, held at King George Square, was addressed by speakers from the Migrant Women's Emergency Service, Children By Choice, Media Switch, the Brisbane Rape and Incest Crisis Centre and a host of other community-based women's groups.
Some 300 people mobilised in Canberra for a festival and march around the night club circuit, reports Alison Dellit. A lively group of Resistance women attracted a lot of support with their chants against sexual violence. Speakers from the Rape Crisis Centre, Hidden Hurt (a children's domestic violence unit) and Survivors (a counselling centre for sexual abuse victims) addressed the rally's theme, "violence within the family". A number of men and children also attended.
In Hobart, more than 250 women and children marched, cheering loudly at male supporters who made their support known by gathering outside Sportsgirl. The rally was addressed by Carol Mitchell from Resistance and Lavina Savell from the Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group. Mitchell spoke on ways to end sexual violence, commenting, "It is not enough to put the blame on men and leave it at that. Men need to take responsibility for their sexual violence, but we also need to implement radical social changes."
From Melbourne, Sue Bolton reports that a festive atmosphere prevailed as 6000 women took to the streets. The major speaker and rally MC, former premier Joan Kirner, ensured that the Kennett government was given a serve and no mention made about the cuts to services under her administration.
Hana Assafiri from the Immigrant Women's Domestic Violence Service, solicitor Maree Andrews and Sharon Howett from the Women's Legal Resource Group and performance artist Maude Davey also addressed the rally.
About 1000 very lively people, mostly young, marched in Perth, Alana Kerr reports, with Aboriginal women and mothers leading the march. The rally was addressed by the opposition spokesperson on women's affairs, Judith Watson, as well as a speaker from Aboriginal Services.
The rally's demands included calls to: make violence in the home a criminal offence; increase the funding to youth services and women's refuges; increase education about rates of sexual abuse; and allow women in psychiatric institutions access to psychiatrists of the gender of their choice.
Six thousand women from a diverse range of backgrounds rallied in Hyde Park and then marched through Sydney streets to Circular Quay, reports Zanny Begg. Highlights of the rally included an inspiring talk by Sarah Lambert, from Heart Break High, songs by Tiddas and the chants of thousands of women fighting for an end to sexual violence.
Other speakers at the rally included Anne Pratton, an Aboriginal film maker, Kate Gilmour from the National Committee on Violence Against Women, Susan Wood and Pauline Grove, opponents of False Memory Syndrome, representatives from a support network for survivors of ritual satanic abuse, and two survivors of sexual assault.
The rally was supported by men from Men Against Sexual Assault and the Democratic Socialist Party, who waved banners at the side of the march to show that many men stand in solidarity with women in opposing domestic violence.
The mood throughout the night was defiant and strong. One aspect that marred the march, however, was the almost exclusive focus on the horror of sexual abuse, with little attention being given to strategies for eliminating it.