Town march against gender-based violence to return

Students and other people - regardless of gender - are encouraged to take part in the march

An event to highlight violence against women and girls is to return to a town next month.

Ipswich Reclaim the Night will see campaigners march through the streets on the evening of 25 November.

Organised by the University of Suffolk students' union, about 150 people took part in February's event.

The march, which will coincide with the White Ribbon Day campaign against gender-based violence, will start at the university on the waterfront and end at the Cornhill.

Reclaim The Night in Ipswich will return next month after about 150 people turned out for the last march earlier this year

Mia-Nicole Brown, the union's president of activities and wellbeing, said the event and what it stood for was "more important than ever".

"We were amazed by the number of people who attended in February, which is why we wanted to make this event a key part of the White Ribbon calendar," she said.

"With domestic violence continuing to affect so many lives, it's more important than ever to keep the conversation going and raising awareness."

Data from the National Police Chiefs' Council suggested at least one in every 12 women was a victim of violence each year.

Between 2022 and 2023, more than a million crimes involving violence against women and girls were recorded in England and Wales.

"Every one of us - regardless of gender - has the power to challenge violence, support survivors, and promote a culture of respect," Ms Brown added.

Full details of the march, which forms part of a wider safety campaign from the union, will be released in November ahead of the event.