Campaigners are to stage a Reclaim the Night march in Dundee in protest at sex crimes.
The event is being organised by the Women’s Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre (WRASAC) and comes after official figures revealed that the number of crimes of indecency reported in the first half of 2013-14 had risen by more than 50% compared to the long-term average.
Police said they believed the rise was due to publicity over high-profile sexual abuse inquiries involving celebrities, prompting more women to come forward and report historic incidents.
WRASAC Dundee and Angus said the figures came as little surprise and followed a 35% increase in reported rapes last year that made the crime more common than robbery.
Over the same period there has been a 52% increase in the number of rape survivors coming forward for support, with 276 women seeking help.
The organisation said a recent sexual assault near a city centre nightclub showed that rape and sexual abuse remained a daily reality for too many women in Dundee.
While there had been an increase in reported incidents of rape and sexual abuse which was to be welcomed there were many, many more victims who were too frightened, ashamed or traumatised to report crimes to the police.
As part of the global 16 Days of Activism against gender-based violence, WRASAC Dundee and Angus are organising the Reclaim the Night march on December 5, starting from City Square at 6pm.
Demonstrators will march through the city centre to Bonar Hall for speeches and music.
Sinad Daly, manager of WRASAC Dundee and Angus, said: “We are really excited about the prospect of encouraging women and men from all sections of the community to take to the streets of Dundee to show their opposition to all forms of violence against women.
“It is a chance for women to say our streets and our homes should be a place of safety and that is why we are marching united to reclaim our streets.
“This is also a chance for us to oppose the high levels of ‘victim blaming’ that prevails in our society.
“There are no other crimes where the behaviour of victims is given so much attention and, worse still, that they are partly to blame for being raped.
“We want to place the blame firmly at the feet of the perpetrators of rape and sexual abuse.
“We are encouraging people to come along to this important march with their placards and banners and support us in challenging violence against women.”