Dead Women Walking march in Manchester sees domestic violence campaigners take to the streets

The sixth year of the march against domestic violence known as Dead Women Walking took place in Manchester city centre attended by hundreds of campaigners.

Organised by Certain Curtain Theatre founder and actress Claire Moore, the silent walk is a reminder of the many women killed by men in the UK.

Marchers dressed in red to symbolise violence against women highlighted the shocking statistic that one woman is killed every three days by a former or current partner. 

Claire told NQ why she decided to start running the event.

“I started to do a list of the women in the UK that were killed. I thought it would be a good idea to remember and represent them in a march each year as close to International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women as possible” she said.

When it comes to domestic violence, the problem of victim-blaming and the image of women presented in the media often occurs.

Claire added: “Whenever we are killed in the UK, our names are rarely used in the media. So, I thought it’s important to say the women’s names and their ages and who killed them. It’s a great way to have their names heard.”

Marchers formed a red line wearing red ponchos walking through the city centre.

Rebecca Hall, who decided to attend the event because of an ongoing Trafford rape crisis, said some people were shocked by the high number of women murdered in the UK.
She added: “A couple of people were asking ‘What about men?’ and swearing at us, but thankfully it didn’t go any further than that. We make people feel uncomfortable – it’s something that nobody really wants to think about. But it’s a positive thing that we do that because it’s the only way how we’re going to make people aware of the fact that things need to change.

“I think a lot of people that see us on the march while doing Christmas shopping have to think about what many women and families are going through this time of the year. Not having their loved ones with them because they’ve been killed by a man that they know – husbands, ex-partners, sons or even grandsons.”
According to Claire, it is vital that the story of women being killed women is not told through the mouth of their killers, but by other women who share those experiences.

“It’s important to raise the awareness and try to put the end to the victim blaming,” she said.

If you are a victim of domestic abuse or know someone who is, find more details about how to report it on the Greater Manchester Police website.