Pass the word around. We want this rally to be huge.

Bring whistles, placards, and supportive friends.

For more details or to get involved in the organising call 9660 5222.

Reclaim the Night Organising Collective
Wentworth Building; Level 1 GO1
University of Sydney 2006
ABN 33 826 405 762

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing to invite you to hold a stall at the annual Reclaim the Night (RTN) rally and festival that will occur on Friday the 30th of October at 7pm in Victoria Park, Sydney.

RTN is an annual women’s protest, which was first held in Australia in 1978. It developed out of the need for women to challenge all forms of violence perpetrated against them and the culture that permits this violence.

This year the central demand of Reclaim the Night is to “End Violence in the Home, on the Streets, at School and at Work.” Violence affects women in all areas of our lives; there is nowhere we can feel ownership of a space or immunity from the sexual, physical and other types of violence that society permits. We are demanding a real response to violence against women, as statistics like 1% conviction rates for sexual offenders demonstrates the complete lack of an adequate response thus far.

We would love for your organisation to hold a stall at Victoria Park where the rally and festival will take place. There will be a number of feminist organisations hosting stalls. This is an opportunity for women from feminist and community organisations to speak with women who are attending the festival. We ask that only women staff the stalls.

The rally will start at Victoria Park at 7pm where speakers will be heard, followed by live musical performances, speakers and community stalls. Stalls can be set up from 5pm.

There are significant costs associated with organising the rally so if possible we would greatly appreciate a donation, with $20 as the recommended minimum please. Tables will be provided but please bring folding chairs if you require them, and wet weather gear as the tables will not be covered.

Please do not hesitate to contact the collective members if you have any queries or suggestions.

Sincerely,
Tamsin Dingley

Reclaim the Night Organising Collective
Mobile: 0431 889 590
Fax: 02 9660 4260
Email: tamsindingley@hotmail.com

Reclaim the Night 2009
Stall Booking Form

Organisation Name:
Contact Name:
Contact Phone:
Contact Email:

Payment method:
• Electronic Transfer, bank account details: BSB.062 284 ACCT No.1009 7993 ACCT Name. Reclaim the Night 2006. Please put your organisation name as the transaction description.
• Cheque, Please make cheque out to Reclaim the Night
• Cash, Please pay Tamsin Dingley on the night.
Do you have any special requirements (e.g. access):

Please note:
• Cars will not be allowed into Victoria Park. There is free 3 hour parking in Broadway Shopping Centre across the road.
• Only women are invited to staff stalls.
• You will be contacted closer to the date with further details.
• There will be food provided on the night (vegan/vegetarian available) for a gold coin donation.
Would you like to be added to the RTN Organising Collective e-list? •Yes •No
Email address you’d like us to add:

Would you like to be emailed posters advertising RTN this year for display in your office etc? •Yes •No

Please return completed form by 9am on Friday the 30th of October.
M: 0431 889 590
F: 02 9660 4260
Email: tamsindingley@hotmail.com
Post: Wentworth Building; Level 1 GO1, University of Sydney, NSW 2006

http://www.isis.aust.com/rtn/

At Hyde Park we heard our fantastic speakers, Christine Robinson, Monique Wiseman, Barbara Shaw, Karen Willis, Lee Rhiannon, and Skie Barwick.

Christine spoke about the struggle of Aboriginal women’s organisations in NSW to have the state government implement the recommendations of the Breaking the Silence report, highlighting government’s hypocrisy on child abuse. Monique and Barbara spoke about the devastating effects of the Northern Territory intervention on Aboriginal communities, particularly women and community-based anti-violence initiatives. Karen and Lee spoke about the need for government action on violence against women, and Skie told her story as a survivor of violence.

Photos of the march will be uploaded soon.

Please feel free to download, copy and distribute the zine that the Reclaim the Night collective produced, which is available here. Acknowledgements should be made to the Sydney Reclaim the Night collective of 2008.

• Christine Robinson, Co-ordinator of Wirringa Baiya Aboriginal Women’s Legal Centre. Wirringa Baiya exist to provide Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, children and youth, in NSW, with a gender specific service which is sensitive to their culturally diverse needs and to provide Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women who are victims of violence, with access to appropriate legal representation, advice and referral. Christine is an organiser of the Aboriginal Women Reclaiming Back Our Rights Corroboree.
• Barbara Shaw, from Mt. Nancy Town Camp near Alice Springs/Mpartnwe. Barbara is one of the principal organisers of the campaign to end the Northern Territory intervention, and works with the Intervention Rollback Action Group in Alice Springs. She has attended the United Nations Permanent Forum of Indigenous Peoples and co-ordinated the historic Prescribed Areas Peoples’ Alliance meeting in Alice Springs in September this year. Barbara also runs an unofficial safe house for residents of the local community.
• Karen Willis, Director of the NSW Rape Crisis Centre. NSW Rape Crisis Centre was established in the early 70′s by a group of volunteer women. NSW Rape Crisis is a twenty four hour telephone and online crisis, support and referral service for anyone in NSW who has experienced sexual violence. Karen has been working on sexual violence for 30 years through campaigning and providing services to survivors of sexual violence.

The rally and march will be followed by a Festival with performances and stalls. Performers include:

• Nadeena Dixon – a Wiradjuri/Yuin/Dharug Aboriginal Woman Singer/Songwriter who grew up in a large extended Aboriginal family with strong Aboriginal Cultural and Spiritual Values. The eldest grand-daughter of Aboriginal Rights Activist Chicka Dixon, many of her songs reflect the harsh reality of the struggle and resistance of Australian Aboriginal Nations for Self-Determination. A powerful advocate for Aboriginal womens rights Nadeena is strongly involved in Aboriginal Womens issues.
• Kaya – a vocal band featuring the four exquisite voices of Emma Deans, Sally Stevens, Alexi Kaye and Juleiaah Boehm. Together, they create a truly captivating and heartfelt show that is both lyrically and melodically compelling – if not a little cheeky and sensuous as well.

This year is the 30th anniversary of Reclaim the Night. We are still fighting to eliminate violence against women!

Demands

This year the organising collective has decided upon the following demands:

• Support women’s solutions to violence against women.
• End the Northern Territory intervention.
• Implement the recommendations of the Breaking the Silence and Little Children are Sacred reports.

This year the central demand of Reclaim the Night 2008 is to end the Northern Territory Intervention. We believe that the sexual abuse of women and children in the NT has been used as a political smoke-screen that allowed the Howard Government to implement this racist legislation.

We are demanding the repeal of the Emergency Response legislation and the implementation of real solutions to violence against women and children. We are demanding the Government fully fund and support feminist and community based initiatives to violence against women. We are also demanding the implementation of the recommendations in the “Little Children Are Sacred” and “Breaking the Silence” reports. We have come to these demands after consultation with women from the Northern Territory, local Aboriginal women’s organisations, and anti-intervention networks in Sydney.