WOMEN are taking their calls to end sexual assault and violence to the streets.
The annual Reclaim the Night march demands action against an 11.3 per cent increase in reports of sexual assault across Newcastle and Lake Macquarie in the past five years, according to NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research data.
Newcastle event organiser Sarah Williams said those numbers likely don't reflect the whole picture.
"These are just the incidents that have been reported to the police," she said.
"No doubt the actual number of sexual assaults are much higher.
"The march is for all women, cis and trans, and non-binary people, and we hope that men, our allies in the fight against gendered violence, will join us at the park before and after the march, and cheer from the footpath along the route."
The first Reclaim the Night event started in 1977 as a reaction to police in Leeds, England, inviting women to stay off the streets after the Yorkshire Ripper murders.
The following year marches were held across the globe, as women protested violence against women - demanding safety in the streets, their homes and workplaces.
Lake Macquarie will host its own event at Warners Bay, where mayor Kay Fraser and guest speaker Heal for Life founder Liz Mullinar have also invited men to take part.
"Society needs to recognise that everyone, men and women, should be part of the solution," Cr Fraser said.
"This is all about raising awareness for those in need, by raising awareness within our community and bringing everyone together."
The Warners Bay foreshore event starts on Friday with a free barbecue and live music at 6pm.
The Newcastle event starts at 5:30pm on Friday at Gregson Park in Hamilton.
After the march there will be more entertainment with participants invited to bring a picnic dinner.
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