Dundee University Students’ Association (DUSA) aims to tackle gender-based violence in Dundee at an event hosted later this month.
We Own The Night, which will run from from 12pm until 3am on November 27, promises to host a variety of workshops and entertainment with the aim to “send a clear message that gender-based violence in unacceptable”.
The event will involve learning about consent and self-defence as well as performances from female DJs and sing-along parties.
It comes as students have called for more action to be taken by Universities in Dundee to tackle gender-based violence in the city after spate of spiking incidents were reported over all over the UK.
In recent months, there have been a number of claims of spiking by injection at night-time venues and in the streets of Dundee.
At the beginning of October one woman claimed she was injected while at Captain’s Cabin while just over a week later, another woman said she was spiked while waiting in a queue outside Underground nightclub.
After reports surfaced, Dundee University said the incidents are “extremely distressing” and contacted students to highlight support on offer to victims.
Reclaim the Night march
The DUSA event coincides with two weeks of campaigning that will take place as part of a worldwide United Nations movement.
In Dundee, this will see women take to the streets in a Reclaim the Night march on November 25, where protesters will call for an end to violence and abuse.
Cheryl Ann Cruickshank, CEO of DUSA, said: ‘‘The event is about highlighting the reality of gender based violence and saying loud and clear that it is everyone’s responsibility to take an interest and see gender based violence as an important issue
that we all have a role in eradicating.
“It’s about giving the clear message that violence is never acceptable, it’s about reclaiming spaces for all genders – after dark and during the day – rejecting
victim blaming and creating the expectation that all genders should have as much freedom in the way they behave as each other.”
‘Open to the whole community’
DUSA also hope to highlight the increased risk of gender-based violence to LGBTQI+ people due to societal inequality.
Abersafe, a campaign group set up by Abertay University students to improve safety at night in the city, will also be involved in the event.
Cheryl added: “Along with their gender, women, girls and transgender people have other protected characteristics that increases their level of risk of experiencing violence and abuse.
“Drivers include continuing prejudice and structural barriers in society which cause inequality.
“LGBTQI+ people experience violence and abuse that targets their sexual orientation, gender identity or both.
‘‘The We Own The Night event is open to the whole community.
“I believe that changes can be made to end gender-based violence and want everyone who visits DUSA to enjoy positive healthy relationships and to do so safe in the knowledge that we care, we are listening, and we will always support you.
“We must make it clear in everything that we say and do that gender-based violence in any shape or form will not be tolerated by DUSA.’’
DUSA ‘zero-tolerance’ on violence
Dimitris Vidakis, president of DUSA, emphasised that DUSA will not stand for any form of violence from students at Dundee University.
He said: ‘‘At DUSA we have a zero-tolerance stance on violence of any kind, particularly gender based violence.
“Whilst we have an abundance of support and help on offer, everything from a free night bus that picks up and drops off students to and from campus, a designated Safe Place, a third-party reporting site and having staff trained in the Ask for Angela initiative, we still recognise that more needs to be done to ensure everyone is safe, respected and equal in our community.
‘‘Gender based violence, in any form, has no place in our community and at DUSA we are playing our part in trying to eradicate it once and for all. We Own The Night sets out our vision to take action on all forms of violence.
‘‘Every area of society has an important role to play in tackling this issue. As a charity that supports students who are away from home and often affected by violence, it is our hope that DUSA can help put an end to it.’’
