Reclaim The Night 2025

Last Friday, we stepped out into the cold, dark streets of Brighton to join the swathes of people of all ages and genders standing together against gender-based violence, sexual harassment, and for the safety of everyone in our city.

Reclaim The Night is a space where our voices are heard, where we chant together, take up space together, and make it clear that we are here and we deserve safety. But more than that, it’s a space where our rage is allowed. As survivors, we are so often defined only by our trauma, boxed in by victimhood, and denied the room to feel or express our anger. Reclaim The Night breaks that silence. It gives us permission to bring our whole selves.

Once again, we had the opportunity to speak after the march as we gathered in Pavilion Gardens to hear from community leaders and activists. Our Senior Manager, Helen Race, delivered a powerful speech, which you can read here:

We’re here to Reclaim The Night.

But now, I also want to reclaim the fight…

I am FED UP. I’m sure we all are, that’s why we are here – coming together in unity and rage about how things could be, how things should be, but how far away we are from this.

I have been working in sexual and domestic violence response settings for a long time now, I don’t know how many years I’ve been doing this march and it never feels any less necessary – I am fed up!

The me too movement helped create a seismic shift in conversations about sexual violence and abuse and Finally, FINALLY, this year, conversations have picked up again. I’m noticing more public interest and narrative in this cause I care so much about.

So why isn’t this assuring…?

Because the focus isn’t on what we know it needs to be on.

The focus has fallen on race, on immigration.

We know racism and misogyny go hand in hand, so just on that note, how is this helpful?

We also know perpetrators are more likely to target those that are more vulnerable.

We see time and time again society making different groups of people increasingly vulnerable – migrants, refugees, non-white people, asylum seekers, the trans community, gender non-conforming people…

The solution to sexual violence and abuse is certainly not to target groups of people, to alienate, to increase vulnerability of already marginalised communities and people…

I mentioned about reclaiming the fight – so here it is:

Survivors and services are crying out, and have been for years,…. for more effective systems in responding to sexual violence and abuse.

That’s the fight.

For survivors to be supported in feeling safer, and to be assured that their perpetrators will be held to account.

That’s the fight.

Timely responses to these experiences by the systems and institutions in place.

That’s the fight.

For adequate, timely and accessible therapeutic and recovery support for survivors, to aid healing from what can so often be a devastating experience.

That’s the fight.

For support services to have financial security.

For survivors to know the service that has been a lifeline for them will exist for as long as they need.

For enough support to be available.

For skilled and experienced workers to not be expecting redundancy notices and moving away from the sector.

That’s the fight.

These are just some of the primary and enduring concerns of the sector.

THIS is the fight.

These are the conversations we need to be having.

Survivors deserve better – we all deserve better.

This huge sign of community and care tonight helps heal my fed up soul – this is where hope lives.

So Let’s continue to unite and reclaim the fight together – it’s the only way to get us to where we need to be.