Sarah Everard and Street Harassment
TRIGGER WARNING: this article is about Sarah Everard and street harassment, which may be triggering for individuals who have experienced traumatic events.
What happened?
Last week, the British media began reporting on the disappearance of Londoner, Sarah Everard. After a naitonwide appeal, human remains discovered in Kent and identified as hers.
Sarah Everard's disappearance and death received a lot of media coverage as it brings to attention the way women are treated on the streets. Everard did what many women do on a daily basis: she walked home in a well-lit area, she kept in contact with loved ones and she took precautions to protect herself. On March 10th, a Metropolitan Police officer was arrested in connection with her murder.
Sarah Everard's death has ignited conversations about women and street harassment. Many politicians have made statements on how things need to change for women to feel safer. The London Mayor, Sadiq Khan, said that the "streets of London are not safe for women and girls."
Shortly after Sarah's death, a vigil was held at Clapham Common. This has been widely publicised due to the police's disturbing response. Arrests were made and officers trampled on flowers laid by attendees of the vigil. The Metropolitan Police has received baklash from the public and senior politicians, including Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who said he was "deeply concerned" by the footage of the events.
Opinions
Sarah Everard was an ordinary woman. She is not the first woman this has happened to, and will unfortunately not be the last. The phrase #ReclaimTheStreets has been trending on social media, as activists and campaign groups urge the Government to introduce effective measures to protect women. Going for a walk is a normal thing to do, and a pastime that has increased with lockdown. Yet, women don't feel safe walking out at night. This issue is common, with 97% of women in the UK being affected by sexual harassment.
There has been a mixture of support and opposition in the last few days, particularly from men. I know some male colleagues who have voiced their support for women and pledge to help in anyway they can, which is encouraging. However, there are also some men who have been using the phrase 'not all men', as in, 'not all men are responsible for street harassment'. This is a factually accurate statement. But if someone was run over by a car, would you tell them that not all cars run people over? Women have been dealing with this issue for centuries and will continue to do so unless things change for the better. Men have a huge role to play in making the streets safer for women.
This does not mean we want a curfew for men. We just want to walk outside without fear of being attacked or killed. Is that too much to ask for in 21st century Britain?
Sarah Everard did everything women do to protect themselves, but if she hadn't done one of those things, like walking in a well lit area, the narrative would be entirely different. The media would report that she did not take adequate precautions, leading to victim-blaming. Why should women have to take any precautions in the first place? Sarah did everything and STILL, she was killed.
Conclusion
People have asked why I haven't blogged my opinions on the 'Royals' situation: I have opinions on it, of course, but we have much bigger problems to deal with and talk about, like the everyday safety of women. Even the Duchess of Cambridge attended the vigil during the day, proving that someone of her status was not immune to street harassment before she joined the Royal Family. In the month that marks International Women's Day, how much has changed at all?
The UK population is 50.6% female, meaning half of its people experience this. Society needs to adapt to be a safer place for women and everybody. We live in a patriachal society, but at this point in history, we have more women in prominent positions than ever. It is far from enough, but it is better than before. These women in power need to bring forth positive change. Priti Patel is the highest ranking female Cabinet member and has the power as Home Secretary to introduce measures to protect women.
We need change. We need allies in men. We need support, to make our streets safer for the next generation of girls, who will otherwise grow up like the rest of us women learning how to hold keys in a defensive position, planning routes in well populated areas before events and texting current locations to several people, 'just in case'.
We can't go on like this, living in fear, 'just in case'.
* There is a wonderful organisation called Our Streets Now: https://www.ourstreetsnow.org/our-streets
They are a movement which campaigns to make the streets safer for women and girls. There are also some statistics and personal stories of girls who have been affected by the issue.
*Here are some links to services on their website you may find useful, please do speak to someone if you need to!
VAWG services: Rape Crisis: 0808 802 9999 Open 12:00pm-2:30pm and 7:00pm-9:30pm daily. Offers support and guidance for all victims of all forms of sexual violence. Rape Crisis also offer web chat services for victims of sexual violence. Victim Support: 0845 30 30 900 Offers guidance to all victims of crime and their families. A crime does not need to have been reported to police to access the support and guidance that is offered by Victim Support. Refuge: 0808 2000 247 Open 24/7. Female advisors listen to victims of domestic violence and offer support regarding decisions for one’s future. Women’s Aid: Offers support and guidance for women experiencing domestic violence, including legal advice.
Comments