Terri Allington from Ask for Angela Luxembourg joined the Sam Steen Show on RTL Today Radio to talk about the #UnderReacting campaign and why the organisation is calling on the public to show their support.
The march will begin at Hamilius at 6.15pm, with organisers encouraging as many people as possible to take part in a short walk through the city centre.
Terri previously joined the show to introduce Ask for Angela, an initiative that helps people experiencing harassment or feeling unsafe in bars, restaurants, festivals and other public venues.
Participating businesses train their staff to recognise when someone needs help and provide a safe way for them to ask for assistance.
“Just ask if Angela is working, you don't need to explain,” Terri explained. “They'll take you somewhere safe, ask what you want and help you.”
Participating venues can be identified through window stickers and an online directory, while posters in their toilets explain how the system works.
The initiative has also been designed to be accessible to Luxembourg's multilingual population, with a simple website that automatically loads in the language of the user's phone.
While Ask for Angela provides support in participating venues, the organisation's latest campaign focuses on harassment in public spaces.
The name #UnderReacting highlights concerns about how incidents of harassment are sometimes dismissed or met with advice that places the responsibility for avoiding danger on the person experiencing it.
Terri pointed to familiar suggestions such as avoiding certain streets, taking a different route or carrying something for self-defence.
Instead, she wants to see greater awareness of the problem itself.
The purpose of Friday's march, she explained, is to demonstrate public support for the organisation's work and for the principle that everyone should be able to move around the city safely.
“It's just a way to show that there is public support for us to continue raising awareness around the fact that women should just be able to walk safely on the streets.”
“And then once women are safe, everybody is safe, so that would then apply to everybody as well.”
The march will also make use of humour to highlight some of the advice women are routinely given about protecting themselves.
Participants are welcome to bring placards, while organisers will have whistles and other accessories featuring deliberately exaggerated safety messages.
Among them are handheld fans with tongue-in-cheek instructions about using them to defend against an attack.
The point is to draw attention to the sometimes absurd expectations placed on women to anticipate and prevent harassment themselves.
Terri stressed that this is intended to be a short, peaceful event rather than a lengthy demonstration.
“There's no hymns, no chants, no hanging around for hours after. It's an 11-minute walk,” she explained, adding that the group will travel at a slightly slower pace.
The march is open to everyone, including families, children and men who want to support the campaign.
Terri was particularly keen to emphasise the importance of male participation.
“This does mean male allies as well because they need male voices to stand behind us as well,” she said.
“Bring your dogs, bring your kids, bring whoever.”
The event takes place on Friday, October 2nd, with participants gathering at 6.15pm outside the former post office building at Hamilius, near the coffee shop.
More information about the march is available at underreacting.com while businesses interested in joining the Ask for Angela initiative can find details at askforangela.lu
You can also listen back to the full interview with Terri Allington on the Sam Steen Show below.
