“There’s No Such Thing As Too Much Awareness”: Queen’s Society Turns City Hall Pink!
By Katie O’Doherty
On Wednesday November 7th, five hundred people stood outside Belfast City Hall as it lit up pink in solidarity of female victims of violence. ‘Project Pink’ was a march organised to raise awareness of the growing violence against women and girls – a problem that is now more prevalent than ever in Belfast.
Recently, rising rates of violence against women has become a major concern. Six femicides have occurred within Northern Ireland in 2024 alone, with 42 women having been killed since 2017 [1], these statistics have startled this small country. Research conducted in 2022 found that 91.2% of women think Northern Ireland has a problem with violence against women perpetrated by men, and 83% of women have been impacted by such violence [2]. Statistics like these have sparked a nationwide discussion over women’s safety, and rallies such as Project Pink have called for more action to be taken.
The project was organised by Queen’s University’s very own ‘Walkie Talkie Girlies’, a society which organises weekly walks for female students to promote women’s safety and raise awareness. Since their formation in 2023 they have acquired over 3,000 followers on Instagram, 2,000 on TikTok, and over 400 members. They led the march from the University’s student union at One Elmwood to Belfast City Hall, joined by a range of different individuals and organisations.
Recently, I interviewed committee members Karen Mulvihill and Molly McGlinchey about the project and its success. According to Molly, “It was kind of just bringing together what we have already done and kind of working with charities and the PSNI, and just people we have worked with on a smaller scale and just having an event that’s a larger scale essentially.”
“Aisling Cannon – chairperson and co-founder of the society – came to all of us with an idea just… she had been trying to raise awareness and get more people into the society in general, because everyone thought ‘aw it’s just walking’ but it’s not really walking, its raising awareness for women’s issues and violence against women.”
Adding to this, Karen stated, “With the recent incidents that there has been in Belfast. It became more of a prevalent issue, and it was kind of a snowball effect then, the support that we received.”
When asked on how it felt to have gathered such support for their cause, the girls agreed it was quite overwhelming.
“It was empowering, so many people cared about what we were actually doing, but it was 100% overwhelming.” says Molly.
“To see the number of people in the SU that day, we had like a snake lined of people lined up getting ready for the walk” Karen adds. “You might feel like ‘oh sure what difference can I make’, it does make a difference the group, to see the number on the streets. It really was that we’re here and we’re not going anywhere.”
A wide demographic was showcased at the rally, with even men joining the walk to support the girls.
Molly tells us, “Women are more disproportionately affected than men, but it is not all men… and that’s not just a throwaway comment, it’s evident in the high turnout they had at the walk…. People do care, and like even, it’s the same with men. It’s their mothers, their girlfriends, their sisters, their partners, and it does affect them too.”
“Educating I think’s the most important part. Men, boys, they don’t realise the fear that women feel walking alone, or even not alone… they mightn’t realise how bad it is until they’re walking down the street with you and you’re still getting roared at with them right beside you.”
However, they emphasised how there is always more that can be done. Molly explains, “We’re never going to reach a full level where there’s no violence against women – it’s just not possible – and I don’t think there’s ever going to be too many societies in Queen’s to raise awareness. There’s no such thing as too much awareness.”
Karen noted how Project Pink really helped spread awareness to those who may never have even heard of their society. “You can spread awareness all you like to people who are already listening, already know and are already very aware, however when we had turned the Queen’s building pink people started asking, ‘why is it pink?’, that’s starting a conversation…. this is how it led back to our whole core values of raising awareness… if it changes one person’s opinion or gets one person talking, we’re making change.”
One thing the girls are keen on in addition to raising awareness is fostering a positive and welcoming environment in their walks. “There’s so much fear and anxiety… inside and out in the news, all doom and gloom, and there’s just been things going on in the world and we (want) to bring out a positive approach to things”, Karen mentions.
“So many people come to our walks and they’re on their own and they don’t know anyone, and by the end of it they have regular walk goers that they meet at the walks…. It’s coming together and, exactly, showing solidarity!”
In sparking conversations across the city with ‘Project Pink’, the Walkie Talkie Girlies and the positive sanctuary offered in their weekly walks have inspired hope for many women – evident in the support they have amassed in such a short time.
In such times of fear and uncertainty, their demand for change ignites a sense of optimism and promise.
Sources:
[1] Morris, Alison, ‘The 42 females who have been killed in NI in the last eight years,’ Belfast Telegraph, 11th November 2024, https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/the-42-females-who-have-been-killed-in-ni-in-the-last-eight-years/a653713022.html.
[2] Powell, Rachel, ‘Violence Against Women and Girls in Northern Ireland: NI Women’s Policy Group Research Findings’, NI Women’s Policy Group, April 2022, WPG-VAWG-Research-Report.pdf (wrda.net).
