West Midlands communities come together in Sandwell to Raise Awareness of Violence Against Women and Girls
Community comes together as 16 Days of Action campaign nears its close in the West Midlands
People gathered outside Sandwell Council last night to take part in the Reclaim the Night protest, a powerful demonstration against gender-based violence in the West Midlands. The event is part of the internationally recognised 16 Days of Action campaign, which aims to raise awareness and encourage community involvement in tackling violence against women and girls.
The march brought together local residents from Sandwell and Birmingham, braving the cold to make their voices heard. It was organised to give visibility to survivors and to show solidarity in the fight against gender-based violence.
Jo Salesman, Domestic Abuse Team Manager at Sandwell Council, spoke about the significance of the event and the challenges of bringing the community together. “It was… exciting in one way, but also it brings those anxieties, particularly when we're trying to pull everybody together, we're trying to get the message out there to the community,” she said. “We want to maintain this walk as something that is fun, something that is spreading the word, and to try and pull all that together has been a little bit, certainly a bit of anxiety for me today, but I'm so excited about it now.”
Jo has worked in domestic abuse services for over three years, including child protection and victim services. She emphasised the importance of the Reclaim the Night event in giving a voice to those affected. “This means such a lot. This is giving a voice to women, girls who may have felt that they didn't have a voice before. We're not asking them to speak, what we're asking them is to come for a walk, to be visible, to hold placards if that's what they want to do, to sing, to dance, do whatever they want to do so that they feel that they have got a voice or making some impact upon the community and what the community can see.”
Councillor Suzanne Hartwell, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods and Community at Sandwell Council, said she was motivated to take part for deeply personal reasons. “I’ve got daughters and I’ve got a granddaughter, so I’m also doing it for them,” she said. “I feel very passionate about it that, for the wider community, we need to stand here and say reach out to us if you need to talk, come and speak to us, or there’s other organisations. You’re not alone — we’re here for you.”
Reflecting on the progress made, Jo noted that while awareness and legislation, such as the Domestic Abuse Act, have improved protections, there is still much work to be done. “In many ways they've got better. We now have legislation that helps... We work very well. We've got really strong partnerships in Sandwell. But in other ways, we can see the real impact of what's happening. So in that way, it could draw us towards feeling that things have got worse. What we are is more aware of it, which is fantastic, because the more aware we are, the more we can do.”
The event comes as the West Midlands prepares for the Violence Against Women and Girls Summit on Wednesday, which will mark the conclusion of the 16 Days of Action campaign in the region.
The Reclaim the Night protest is a revival of a movement dating back to the 1970s, aimed at reclaiming safety and visibility for women and girls in public spaces at night. Sandwell Council and partner organisations hope this annual event will continue to grow, fostering community solidarity and pushing for change.