Part of the global 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence campaign, this year’s Take Back The Night March in Penzance will take place on Monday December 6th. People are invited to assemble at Wherrytown Skatepark from 5.15pm, before setting off at 5.30pm to walk along Penzance Promenade to the Jubilee Pool pedestrian crossing, then up to Chapel Street Methodist Church, where a vigil will be held on the forecourt. The theme for 2021 is ‘Orange the World’, so wear something orange if possible. St Michael’s Mount will be lit up in orange on the night, in support of the campaign, while men can show their support by marching in solidarity to End Violence against Women and Girls.
At the vigil, Women from West Cornwall Women’s Aid (WCWA) will be reading out the names of all the women who have died at the hands of their partner or former partner this year - a sobering 123 at time of writing. The vigil will also feature performance contributions, including contemporary dance, poetry and song, as well as an important piece entitled All Men - imploring all men to become upstanders not bystanders when it comes to harassment, violence, rape and objectification of women, because All Men are part of the solution.
Whole Again Communities will be serving healthy hot leek and potato soup, teas, coffees and tasty flapjacks, with proceeds going towards WCWomen’s Aid and the invaluable work they do in supporting women who have experienced, or are currently experiencing, domestic abuse of any form. Providing information, a helpline, outreach, counselling, and refuge sanctuary for women and their children, early intervention, prevention and protection are key. Tel. 01736 367539 or contact via website www.wcwaid.co.uk
So please join us in declaring that it is a woman’s right to be able to walk anywhere, at any time, wearing whatever she chooses, without fear of being harassed, attacked, raped or murdered. Join us to show a united front against violence of any kind, in the belief that everyone has the right to feel safe and to be safe. Bring a torch, pots, pans, drums, bells, whistles; shine a light and make some noise as we ‘Take Back the Night, and Win the Day.’
16 Days of Activism runs from Thursday November 25th until Friday December 10th . Other events are planned across the sixteen days include a Sea Swim for Solidarity on November 28th, and a demonstration outside Cornwall Council Offices in Truro on November 30th in support of a motion prioritising Ending Male Violence Against Women and Girls. For further details and dates of local events and actions, please visit the 16 Days of Activism Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/16-Days-of-Activism-103612702144160
Safer Cornwall partnership together with Cornwall Council are also running a programme of events and activities. (see safercornwall.co.uk/ending-vawg/ and safercornwall.co.uk/16-days-of-activism-against-gender-based-violence for more details).
