Organising Reclaim the Night
Melbourne
By Lynne Kennedy
Organising this year's 1998 Reclaim the Night has had its share of problems and successes. The fact that we have been unsuccessful in all our requests for funding highlights, yet again, the lack of government commitment to eliminating violence within society.
Unlike in earlier years, the Reclaim the Night collective has met all year. It has strived to extend the struggle to a wider community.
A public meeting was held in late August, with a panel of speakers followed by an open platform. A major theme which came out of the meeting was that, to win our demands, women need to create links with a broad range of struggles.
In late September, RTN hosted a women's election forum with six women candidates talking about their parties' policies on women. An open platform allowed women to question the spokespeople and air a public feminist agenda.
RTN is collating a document that reflects the history of RTN. Our successes must be documented for exploration. We urgently require anyone who can provide us with information, posters, photos, memories, newspapers, newsletters, oral histories to contact Sarah at (03) 9347 3443.
Wollongong
By Angela Luvera
The collective for the fourth annual Reclaim the Night march here has been meeting since September. Within the collective there have been discussions on whether RTN is a night for protesting only against sexual violence, or whether it is important to draw the links between all forms of oppression against women.
The Wollongong march will take place on October 29 to allow women also to attend the Sydney march. The demands include: the right to walk the streets without the fear of rape; the right to feel safe at all times; increase funding and services for sexual assault centres; stop racist violence against women; repeal all anti-abortion laws; and put the blame where it belongs, not on women.
Women and children are to meet at Lowden Square at 6.30pm, Thursday, October 29, and then march to the Crown Street Amphitheatre. Men are asked to line the streets to show support for the marchers and then attend the rally.
Speakers will include Vivienne Haywood, a community health worker, Betty Little, an indigenous women involved in Illawarra Residents for Native Title, and Amie Hamilton, a Resistance member.
All women are encouraged to come and be involved. Bring anything that makes noise. For more information, phone Angela at 4226 2010.
Hobart
By Kamala Emanuel
The Reclaim the Night collective here has been preparing a march, rally and dance to mark the 20th year of this annual protest against violence against women and children.
With a theme of "Twenty years of protest — women will not be silenced", the collective aims to put forward a positive vision of women's rights.
This includes being able to live free from violence and abuse, with financial independence, equal pay and opportunities, well-resourced services, housing and freedom for our bodies — whether in sexuality, reproduction, or clothing. It also includes support for Aboriginal women, land rights and cultural autonomy.
The collective sees RTN as a way of creating a safe space for women and at the same time a chance to raise demands on the government, media and the rest of society that will start to meet women's needs and undermine the basis for violence. The rally will demand:
- increased funding for sexual assault and domestic violence services;
- decriminalisation of abortion;
- restoration of funding for community child-care services;
- the right to secure, well-paid jobs;
- sacking of sexist judges;
- women's financial independence;
- no scapegoating of single mothers;
- no GST;
- repeal of the Native Title Amendment Act;
- maintenance or restoration of cut women's services.
The broad scope of the demands reflects the view of collective members that violence against women isn't limited to assault, and that assault against women and children has its origin in the systematically lower status of women and children in this society.
The rally on October 30 will begin at 7.30pm at Franklin Square, the march at 8pm and women's dance at 9pm at the Bavarian Tavern.
While the march is for women and children only, the collective has suggested that men who support the aims of the event line the route. Resistance will be organising a men's support contingent. For more info, contact Sue (6234 7007) or Carolyn (6231 1811), or Resistance (6234 6397).
[Details of RTN events around the country: Meetings ... Parties ... Anything.]