Newcastle women stage 'reclaim the night' march

Hundreds of people have taken part in a march to raise awareness of violence against women.

The Newcastle event was organised by Northern TUC to mark the Reclaim the Night movement's reintroduction to the city a decade ago.

Organisers said the march was "as important as ever" in the light of recent sexual harassment allegations.

Women's forum chair Pat Heron said it was "vital that women need to be able to feel safe when they're out".

In past marches they have stopped to explain the campaign to men along the route and received a lot of support, she said.

"Men have to be included, they've got to be in the conversation," she added.

The event coincided with the United Nation International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

Protestors included about a dozen men.

Newcastle Central Labour MP Chi Onwurah said supporters wanted "to make it clear that harassment is not acceptable anywhere - in the street, in the home, in the workplace".

"Women need to have the same rights as men to walk down the street; we're reclaiming that for women," she said.

One in five women has experienced sexual violence between the ages of 16 and 59, the TUC said.

Sara Dickson, from Rape Crisis Tyneside and Northumberland, said harassment was "more pervasive than people would like to think".

"Men just don't want to realise it does happen, they don't see themselves as the perpetrators."