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Every year, women and their allies take to the streets of Richmond to demand something that should be a given, the right to walk safely at night. Reclaim the Night is a long-running global protest and awareness movement highlighting the right of women to feel safe and respected, wherever they are, whenever they are.
The Hawkesbury’s Reclaim the Night March begins at Richmond Women’s Cottage in Bosworth Street, winding through the main street and around the park. Participants come together to make noise, raise awareness, and send a powerful message: women and girls should be able to live free from fear whether walking home, socialising, or simply existing in public spaces.
This year’s event continues that proud tradition. Community members are invited to come along, bring friends and family, and stand in solidarity with women everywhere. Men are welcome and encouraged to attend in support, walking at the end of the march to symbolise their allyship and respect for the cause.
A moving candlelight tribute will also be held, honouring women who have lost their lives to family and domestic violence (FDV). Names are read aloud, and candles lit, to ensure that they are never forgotten. It’s a solemn and powerful moment a reminder of why this event matters.
A Proud History of Protest
Reclaim the Night marches began in the late 1970s, inspired by women around the world who refused to accept that safety should come at the cost of freedom. In New South Wales, the marches gained strength throughout the 1980s and 1990s, with large turnouts in Sydney, Newcastle, and regional towns across the state.
In the Hawkesbury, these marches have become a vital local tradition a night when survivors, advocates, families, and supporters come together to demand change and celebrate community strength.
So come along, raise your voice, and help reclaim the night, not just for one evening, but for a safer future for all women and girls.
“If we don’t show up and raise our voices, then fear wins,” says Sonya Parker.
“This march is for every daughter, sister, mother and partner who deserves to walk under the stars without looking over her shoulder."
"So come along, raise your voice, and help reclaim the night not just for one evening, but for a safer future for all women and girls."
For more information or to get involved, contact the Richmond Women’s Cottage.
March starts 6pm at 22 Bosworth Street Richmond - everyone is welcome to participate.
