Women across West Dunbartonshire are set to take to the streets this week to campaign for their right to walk safely at night.
A Reclaim the Night march will be held on Thursday, March 14 in Alexandria to highlight the fact women across Dumbarton and the Vale don’t feel safe when walking alone.
Organised by the West Dunbartonshire Community Party (WDCP), the event hopes to respond to the concerns voiced.
Women’s right’s campaigner and WDCP member Louise Robertson says she was approached by a number of women who spoke of their fears.
And following the celebration of International Women’s Day on March 8, she decided to hold the event to help champion the rights of women in the area.
She told the Lennox Herald: “I spoke to women who said they were afraid to walk alone down at the River Leven at night.
“I spoke with one woman in particular who said she was even too frightened to go out and walk her dog in the dark.
“The streets should be a safe place for women to walk in. We shouldn’t have to be frightened in our own community.
“We want to start a conversation about what both women and men can do to make women feel safe out on the street.
“We have heard from some men who were saying they do not know what is the best thing to do if they find themselves in a situation that might be unintentionally frightening to women, so anyone who wants to be part of the solution and not the problem is welcome to come along and participate.”
Beginning at the Vale of Leven Academy, campaigners will walk along the Main Street to the John Connolly Centre in Renton.
Clydebank Women’s Aid will also be showing a video to attendees featuring the new domestic abuse laws surrounding coercive control which come into force on April 1.
And members of the Renton Aikido Club will also be in attendance at the event to speak to people about launching self-defence lessons for women in the area to help give them confidence when walking alone at night.
Louise added: “We are looking to hold an all-day self defence class if enough women are interested in coming along.
“It is important for women to know how to protect themselves and something like this can be really useful.”
Anyone interested in joining the march can attend at 7pm at the main gates of the Vale of Leven Academy.
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