Criminal justice system ‘failing victims’, abuse victim tells Reclaim the Night rally

Haileigh Ashton Lamont, who reported her stepfather to the police in 2020 after enduring ten years of sexual abuse, now works as an advocate for people who have suffered abuse.

Her abuser is currently serving a 16-year sentence.

On Saturday, a large number of people took part in the Belfast march against gender-based violence.

Reclaim the Night began on the streets of Leeds in 1977 as a protest against the advice of West Yorkshire Police that women stay at home at night in response to 13 murders carried out by the Yorkshire Ripper, Peter Sutcliffe. The campaign has expanded to include all gender-based violence.

Ms Lamont said her experience of the criminal justice system a "hellish ordeal".

Ms Lamont told the crowd: "Our criminal justice system is failing victims. We cannot rely on the criminal justice system in Northern Ireland.

"I am campaigning for change but that takes time.

"We all have a part to play in seeing justice served. Justice for me means confidently standing up for yourself and for each other."

Demonstrators gathered at Writer's Square where a number of speakers addressed the crowd.

Alexa Moore, a trans rights activist and former director or TransgenderNI, said they are "determined" to stamp out sexual violence and harassment.

"But not only that, what I see is the deep-seated belief that we can build, and we deserve, a better Belfast and we're all prepared to work for it," she said.

"We don't want five hotels and three new extortionate student accommodations. We don't want the preachers on the streets, creating a hostile atmosphere for LGBTQ people.

"We want a city that serves us, serves our needs and that is built to protect the most vulnerable of us.”

Mardi Kennedy, co-ordinator of the Sex Workers Alliance Ireland, said that violence is perpetrated by "marginalisation and stigma".

"We have come together as a community to declare that we are united against violence.

"As always, I ask for your solidarity with sex workers, and ask you to campaign for sex worker rights," she added.