This project is the result of an online and social media project launched by young activist Megan Parker.

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On her photography website, she launched a project called ‘The Places We Fear’ to highlight sexual violence in public spaces in Southampton. She gathered testimony from victims and survivors of sexual violence in public and combined their words with images of places in the city where assaults had taken place. The subsequent images have been used to create postcards with the images on one side and words on the other, which has formed part of an exhibition for the London College of Communication, where Megan studied photojournalism.

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Southampton National Park City reached out to Megan to develop a project related to her work to highlight the lack of safety in the city’s green spaces. This was part of the Young Placemakers project, a programme to inspire, upskill, and resource Southampton’s young and emerging community leaders to become change agents in their local neighbourhoods. Participants received support and funding to develop small local projects, with projects focused on enhancing urban green spaces, promoting biodiversity, nature connection, tackling socio-environmental injustices, or addressing the pressing challenges posed by climate change.

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Through support from Public Health, as well as the Communities and Park Ranger team in Southampton City Council, the idea for ‘Reclaim Our Space’ was formed. The information on this website is linked to vinyl stickers, which have been authorised to be posted on lighting and utility poles in two main public green spaces in Southampton, the Common and the central parks. This means that anyone can access information and resources in public spaces if they feel immediately in danger due to sexual violence or hate crimes - or are in need of help and support for ongoing abuse or mental health challenges.

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