Sarah Everard’s case arouses many women who share stories of abuse on the streets of the UK

Sarah Everard’s case arouses many women who share stories of abuse on the streets of the UK

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Many also exchanged notes about the usual precautions they take to try to stay safe when they walk alone – and expressed their anger and frustration that this seems necessary.

The fact that a Metropolitan Police officer on duty was arrested on suspicion of Everard’s kidnapping and murder only added to the sense of threat. Police in search of Everard, who was last seen on March 3 in Clapham, London, found what appear to be human remains in the woods in Kent, the force confirmed on Wednesday.

But, she added, “I fully understand that despite this, women in London and the general public – particularly those in the area where Sarah has disappeared – will be concerned and may well be afraid.”

Police, who conduct door-to-door investigations in the case, reportedly warned women not to venture out on their own, prompting some to comment that this approach only fuels the culture of blaming victims.

The deluge of reaction from social media provides ample evidence of women’s concerns and is a testament to the price that a lifetime of surveillance has on women’s well-being.

From taking a longer way home to avoid poorly lit streets to taking into account the possible need to escape while dressing for an evening out, women are making constant risk assessments when they walk alone, especially at night.

“For all those women who send messages to their companions to warn them that they have arrived home safely, who wear flat shoes at night so they can run if they need to, who have their keys in their hands ready to use, it is not their fault “, tweeted Anna Yearley, deputy executive director of the NGO Reprieve for legal action. “It never is. Many of us have stories of attacks. It is never our fault.”

Another Twitter user, Linda Redford, replied: “This is a constant concern for women and girls of all ages; I am 74 years old and still do the mental risk assessment every time I am alone, especially, but not exclusively, at night . I taught my daughters the same. Fear has passed from woman to girl, through generations. “

Radio and television presenter Shelagh Fogarty posted a list of sexual harassment cases starting at age 10 and continuing into their 50s, from being followed home from school to being targeted by a stalker. “This is what women face. This and worse. Throughout our lives. It sucks. It’s exhausting. It’s scary. It has to stop,” she said.

Other women responded with their own depressing lists. After posting hers, Eleanor Johnston, a clinical psychologist, added: “My first experiences are not uncommon. What is important to remember is that ‘men’ are not inherently dangerous! Some men are. If this conversation can help us all start a conversation about reporting this behavior, we would all feel much safer. “

A leaflet image of Sarah Everard, who was walking to her home in Brixton when she disappeared.

Sexual harassment

Although abduction cases are relatively rare in the UK, new research indicates that harassment and sexual abuse are not.

More than 70% of women interviewed by UN Women in the UK said they had experienced sexual harassment in public spaces. That number rose to 97% among women aged 18 to 24, the survey showed. The data, released on Wednesday, were taken from a YouGov survey of more than 1,000 women commissioned by the United Nations Women in the United Kingdom in January 2021.

The organization’s research also suggested that women have little faith in public institutions to deal with the situation.

“Only 4% of women told us that they reported harassment incidents to an official organization – with 45% of women saying that they did not believe that the complaint would help change anything,” said UN Women in the United Kingdom.

One in four women in the UK will experience domestic violence and one in five sexual violence during their lifetime, according to an article published by the Home Office in 2019.
Of course, women are not the only ones to feel threatened on the streets. And men are more likely to be victims of violent crimes involving strangers and acquaintances than women, according to the Crime Survey for England and Wales, published by the UK Office for National Statistics (ONS).
But government data shows that men are much more likely to be prosecuted for acts of violence against women and men. During the three-year period ended in March 2020, the vast majority of suspects convicted of homicide were men – 93% of the total, according to an ONS report on homicide.

‘No woman finds this shocking’

The disclosure on social networks in relation to the Everard case speaks for itself.

While some expressed their frustration at the persistence of blaming the victims, others highlighted how, again, it was women who were being urged to change their behavior to be safe, rather than falling on men.

Georgia Ladbury, an infectious disease epidemiologist and candidate for the Women’s Equality Party in the forthcoming London Assembly elections, tweeted Tuesday: “Women in my area were advised not to ‘go out alone’ while Sarah Everard’s disappearance is investigated. How about asking men not to go out? Say curfew at dusk?

“Perhaps we would see more about street safety if it were men losing their freedom, not women.”

In another tweet on Thursday, she added: “No woman finds this shocking. Because we are constantly planning and strategizing to prioritize our safety. In the meantime, men are just living their lives and having carefree conversations. The very idea of ​​this type freedom is intoxicating for me. “

Police vehicles parked on Thursday near Ashford, Kent, after the discovery of remains in the search for Sarah Everard's disappearance.
Writer Caitlin Moran made a similar claim. “Being a woman: my ‘out’ day ends at sunset. If I haven’t taken the dog for a walk / run yet, I can’t,” she tweeted. “In winter, it often means the choice between exercise and work. Today, I had to stop working at 4 to exercise. My husband worked until 6, and now he’s out for a run.”
Writer and columnist Sarah Ditum tweeted about “the horror of men at the idea of ​​a masculine curfew”, adding: “Nobody should have their liberties restricted because of the violence of a minority, except women restrict our freedoms all the time because of the violence of a minority of men – but freedoms are not for women, are they? “

Call to action

Men also participate in the conversation on Twitter, many in a positive way.

1 tweet, by Stuart Edwards, was widely shared. “I live less than five minutes from where Sarah Everard disappeared. Everyone is on high alert. In addition to giving as much space as possible on quieter streets and keeping your face visible, there is something else that men can do to reduce the anxiety / ghost factor? ” he asked.

The women responded with satisfaction to the question being asked and offered practical suggestions, such as a man stepping back or crossing the street to assure a woman that she was not being followed, or to offer to accompany a friend home.

Meanwhile, opposition Labor MP MP Jess Phillips called for tougher action to be taken against those who commit crimes against women, noting that convictions for rape and domestic violence cases fell last year.

“We are not harsh about crimes against women and children perpetrated by men,” she tweeted. “Women must be able to walk on the streets free of dangers, fear and threats”.

Dick, the highest-ranking police officer in London, said there would be “continuous high levels of police patrols” in south London, where Everard was last seen, and acknowledged the impact of a suspected police involvement in trust of the public.

“Sarah’s disappearance in these terrible and perverse circumstances is the family’s worst nightmare,” she said.

“Today’s news that he was a metropolitan police officer arrested on suspicion of Sarah’s murder sent waves of shock and anger through the public and the entire Met.

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