Reclaim the Night: Taking Back Our Streets and Our Voices
In cities across the world, women and allies gather every year to take a stand against gender-based violence. In Belfast, Reclaim the Night has become a powerful annual event that blends protest, community, and solidarity. But where did it come from — and why does it still matter?
A Movement with History, A Legacy of Resistance
Reclaim the Night has deep roots. The first march happened in Leeds in 1977, when police advised women to stay home at night in response to the Yorkshire Ripper murders. Instead of accepting this unofficial curfew, women took to the streets — not to hide, but to protest. It wasn’t their behaviour that needed changing.
In Belfast, the first Reclaim the Night-style event took place in 1987. Organised by groups like Rape Crisis and Lesbian Line, it was called the “March Against Male Violence.” Women carried flaming torches and placards from Queen’s University to City Hall — messages that are, sadly, still relevant today. You can even find footage from the event in the NI Screen Digital Film Archive.
The Revival in Belfast
The Reclaim the Night march returned to Belfast in 2014 and has been held every year since (with a few adjustments during the pandemic). It takes place on the last Saturday of November, aligning with the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence — a global campaign that runs from 25 November to 10 December.
To commemorate 30 years since the first event, the original poster artist, Louise Walsh, updated the image for the current Reclaim the Night to use.
Why We March: The Route and Its Meaning
The route is deliberately chosen, weaving through landmarks that symbolise different aspects of the systems survivors have to navigate.
The march begins at Writers Square, near Ulster University Belfast or the “Art College”. It's a fitting starting point, as schools and universities are often sites of sexual harassment and gender based violence, and many women first experience street harassment in a school uniform. Representatives from the student union movement speak each year.
From there, the route heads into what’s been dubbed Belfast’s “Queer Quarter.” This acknowledges the reality that LGBTQ+ people — especially trans femmes — experience high rates of gender-based violence. Speakers from trans advocacy groups are a consistent and vital part of the event.
Marchers then pass City Hall, a symbol of our political system. While progress has been made on laws around stalking and developing an Ending Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy, other areas — like relationship and sexuality education — are still lacking. The route also passes the Public Prosecution Service, the Courts, and a PSNI station, drawing attention to the low reporting and conviction rates in sexual violence cases.
Finally, the march ends near the Albert Clock, once associated with sex work. Here, the conversation turns to current legislation that criminalises the purchase of sex — a law that, according to sex worker organisations, increases danger for those in the industry. Each year, we hear directly from sex workers themselves, either through speeches or written statements.
More Than a Protest
Reclaim the Night isn’t just about marching. We rally together and raise our collective voices against gender-based violence and street harassment and show our support for victims and survivors. It creates a space where survivors and supporters can come together, where we can challenge harmful norms, and where we can reclaim our right to public space — safely and without fear.
And for the first time ever, Reclaim the Night was also held in Derry-Londonderry in November 2024 — hosted by Foyle Women’s Information Network. It was a huge and exciting step toward growing this movement across Northern Ireland.
Whether you’ve been to a Reclaim the Night rally before or you’re thinking about attending for the first time, you’re invited. Bring a friend. Bring a placard. And bring your voice.
Pictures from Reclaim the Night Belfast 2025 taken by Nuala Kerrigan
