Hundreds march in Illawarra for safer streets and stronger violence prevention
Hundreds of women, men and children marched at Flagstaff Hill to demand safer streets and better protections against gender-based violence.
Hundreds of women, men and children gathered at Flagstaff Hill for the annual Reclaim the Night march to call for safer streets and stronger action on family violence. Participants held signs demanding better safety rules and support for women leaving abusive relationships.
Speakers included Lord Mayor Tania Brown, Elise Phillips from the Illawarra Women's Trauma Recovery Centre, and Ruth Freeland, a victim-survivor who shared her story. The march included a candle vigil for women and children lost to gender-based violence.
According to Australian Femicide Watch, there have been 58 women and 19 children killed in 2026 so far. The event came months after women on a history tour at the same spot were harassed by teenage boys on e-bikes.
This added urgency to calls for safer public spaces at all times of day.
- 58 women and 19 children
- Deaths in 2026
- Flagstaff Hill, Illawarra
- Location
- Annual Reclaim the Night march
- Event type
Why it mattersReclaim the Night highlights persistent gaps in street safety and violence prevention, with recent local incidents underscoring the risk women face in daylight hours.
AustraliaThe march signals growing community demand in Illawarra for local action on women's safety and support services for people escaping abuse.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 2 h ago
