Members of the club joined about 150 others, mainly women, at a Reclaim the Night event on Thursday 30th November. Fife Violence Against Women Partnership organised the event as part of the 16 Days of Activism to End Violence Against Women.
We congregated outside the Town House and at 5pm set off down Whytescauseway to the High Street, waving our placards and chanting anti-violence slogans. We eventually ended up at the Old Kirk where we had a delicious cup of soup and found a seat from which to enjoy the talks. First was Jan Swan from Fife Rape and Sexual Assault Centre, followed by some pupils from Balwearie High School. They showed us how they mentor pupils at school about what healthy relationships look like and how they can help friends who might be having problems. Hannah McLaughlan, a sexual abuse survivor, who has given up her anonymity in order to campaign for better treatment for victims told us her story. After this we had a cup of coffee and then Kay, our club secretary, showed a PowerPoint to explain how our club, and the wider Soroptimist movement, campaigns to end violence against women and girls. The evening ended with a talk from Lyn Simpson of Kingdom Abuse Survivors Project.
