OVER 200 people joined the Reclaim the Night candle-lit vigil, march and minute's silence in Ipswich on 29 December in memory of the five young Ipswich women who were recently murdered.

Socialist Party member and secretary of Ipswich TUC, Teresa MacKay, opened the event by stating what a terrible impact the murders had had around the country. People travelled from Birmingham, Portsmouth, Yorkshire and Wales to demand the right for women to live free of violence.

Teresa illustrated the terrible violence that affects all women in society and said the community and trade unions had a duty to debate issues such as decriminalisation and tolerance zones if we are to lift the violent lid on street prostitution.

Sarah from the English Collective of Prostitutes said there had been a great outpouring of sympathy over the murders and that more people were understanding how women were made 'criminals' through vulnerability.

Both speakers insisted that money had to be found to provide vulnerable women with a safe environment and proper drug rehabilitation for those in need. This must not be at the expense of other services. Money was always available when a country goes to war but now money had to be made available for all women to live safely.

A full article on the Ipswich murders can be found on www.socialistparty.org.uk and will be published in next week's issue of the socialist.