HUNDREDS of people took part in a night walk on Monday, 25 November to highlight the issue of violence against women and girls.

Now in its fourth year, the annual Solidarity Walk and Vigil in Penzance is part of the global campaign '16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence', which aims to raise awareness and inspire action.

Marking the start of a programme of 16 Days of Activism in Penzance, which has been supported by £3,000 in grant funding from Penzance Council, the event was held on White Ribbon Day, a day when men are encouraged to show their year-long commitment to ending violence against women and girls.

Beginning at 5.30pm at Wherrytown car park in Penzance, over 200 people made their way along the promenade, stopping briefly in front of Jubilee Pool for speeches, before carrying on to St Mary’s Church on Chapel Street, where a candlelit vigil took place.

The names of women who have died due to male violence were read out in tribute, before a moving performances by Fox Rox Choir and the Big Dance Company. To coincide with the march, St Michael’s Mount was illuminated in the Suffragette colours of purple and green in support.

As well as the hundreds of women from the community, the Solidarity Walk was supported by local firefighters, police and the mayor of Penzance, Stephen Reynolds, who commented: “At a time when our daily news carries way too many reports of violence against women and girls, it’s heartening to see so many local folk being prepared to come out on a chilly, blustery November evening to show their solidarity with victims and survivors, and to shine a light on this issue.

“It’s such a shame we still need to do this, but I’m so glad that as a community we are prepared to come together and be a beacon of hope for a kinder, fairer world.”

Speaking on the day, councillor Thalia Marrington said: “Today marks the start of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, highlighting the issue of violence against women and girls.

“I’m always proud of Penzance and people here in the far west as there is such support for our annual Walk and Vigil where we read out every woman’s name who has been killed by fatal men’s violence this year.

“The more we shine a light on the issue of Violence against Women rather than shying away from it, quite simply, the less space there is for perpetrators to operate in.

“Killing women is not an entry level crime and often men will have been abusive to a woman or women for a long time before. If we can stop these cycles of abuse, help people realise what is abuse, coercive control, gaslighting etc, we can hopefully save more women’s lives.

“The 16 days is when services, organisations and individuals can all come together to raise awareness, learn, inform, share good practice and take up space around this issue, because if we make the world safer for women and girls, we will make a better world and better society, which is good for everyone.”

Lizzie Matthews, West Cornwall Women's Aid CEO added: “This is the fourth consecutive year that our community has gathered together to highlight the battle to end violence against women and girls. At our solidarity walk and vigil we remember those women whose lives have been taken. We call for justice, for everyone to join together to create a safer and more equitable world and to make Cornwall a safer place for all women and girls.”