Don’t seize the chance to stifle women speaking out

There’s a time to listen. And it’s clear that is now. Anger over the way men treat women has led to an explosion in the sharing of stories of harassment and abuse faced in society. Protesters on Saturday gathered at Guildhall Square in Portsmouth as part of the Reclaim These Streets movement, set up in the wake of the death of Londoner Sarah Everard.

Their demands were quite simple. Men should be held responsible for their actions, and change their behaviour.

Anyone who meets those sentiments by saying ‘not all men’ or ‘women do bad things,’ should hold onto those thoughts for a moment.

The harassment, intimidation and non-consensual sexual advances, and assaults, that women face day to day should shame us all.

As protest organiser MaddyStorm Hall said: ‘Almost every woman has a story to tell.’

Surely we’d all agree if a dear friend told of something awful they’d been victim to, most people’s first reaction would not be to ponder out loud about hypothetical situations where the victim becomes the abuser.

So why, when the subject of men’s behaviour towards women is raised, some say what about other victims, or minimise suffering by seizing the conversation?

That shows utter disrespect to the lived experiences of women suffering in our city.

Those who are quick to open their mouths when a woman speaks her truth must park their whataboutery, and instead just listen.

Reclaim These Streets will undoubtedly be back in Guildhall Square over the next few weeks and months.

Anyone feeling anger at their message should listen to the speakers’ stories, think about what active they can do to make sure those stories are not endlessly repeated. It might, just might, lead to change.