Students protest for ‘Protection’ for women
Students in Bradford held two demonstrations earlier this week as they protested for both the physical and emotional safety on the Great Horton campuses of the city’s university and college.
Tying in with the International Day for Elimination of Violence against Women, on Tuesday 25th November, a group of academics held banners and spoke of the importance of protection for students in and around the educational sites.
Earlier this year, the UBU and College Harassment Survey was launched and more than 200 students have so far responded.
The contributions have helped highlight Great Horton Road as a hotspot for the harassment of women, from studying hours to the early hours of a morning.
Examples of types of harassment have also ranged from being followed on the way home, to having drinks and even stones thrown at victims.
Samayya Afzal, Women’s and Liberation Officer at the University of Bradford Union of Students, said she hoped this year’s initiative would help eliminate such actions against all women.
“The UBU Women’s Forum believes that all harassment is a form of violence against women and should never be tolerated,” she said.
“We’re demonstrating today to encourage people to report harassment, and to challenge the culture of harassment on Great Horton Road.”
Last year, a similar project was run to tie in with the annual awareness day whereby hundreds marched through the city centre to City Park to ‘reclaim the night’.
Umar Rafique, Vice President Education and Welfare at Bradford College Students Union, said it was imperative to ensure people felt ‘safe’ at all times on and around campus.
“The turnout from our students today was great,” he said after the protest. “We have a zero-tolerance approach to all forms of harassment and violence.
“Every student on our campuses has the right to feel and be safe, especially women. We want students to come forward and report harassment, and we will continue our fight in making the streets of Bradford safer.”
The protests were held on two occasions on Tuesday between 11.30am to 12.15pm, and again at 5.15pm on Great Horton Road.
