Hundreds of people are expected to join a march in Bristol tonight to protest against violence to women.

500 people marched in the Reclaim the Night event last year. Now, Bristol Feminist Network are urging the women and men of Bristol to gather once more and protest against violence to women.

Reclaim the Night began in the early 1980s as a protest against the curtailing of women's freedoms during the period of the Yorkshire Ripper attacks. Bristol feminist network say that today women are still told to stay indoors, to never walk in the dark, to never walk alone, to not drink, to not wear skimpy clothes, to never put yourself in danger. Although men are statistically more likely to be attacked by a stranger on the street, we do not tell men to fear the outside world in the same way.

Organisors of Reclaim the Night say it's designed to offer support for victims and survivors of sexual violence, including continued support for Rape Crisis and other charities such as One25 who give care to victims and survivors. They say they also want to encourage better education around violence against women, including education around respect in relationships and busting rape myths.

Anna Brown is a member of Bristol Feminists Network, she told us men are being encouraged to join the event too:  "The most common violent assaults on the street are against young men. We often talk about women, stay in, don't go out on your own, that kind of thing. But it's important to remember men are often the victims of violence themselves and it's their opportunity as well for them to express their feelings about that as well."

She added:  "A couple of years back there were sexual assaults happening on the streets of Bristol and women were told, don't go out on your own after dark, always try and walk with someone.  But for myself I walk home from work and it's often dark in winter by 4 thirty, so it's quite unrealistic to give that kind of advice and it's just to make a statement about how we feel about that really."

Reclaim the Night will start in College Green at 5pm with a vigil of remembrance. At 6pm the march through Bristol will start, going on until 8pm.  There will be a rally of speakers at the Island in Broadmead from 8.30.

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