BLACK We must listen to women’s voices
BY PAISLEY AND RENFREWSHIRE SOUTH MP MHAIRI BLACK
Three days later, on March 11, the body of Sarah Everard was found and a police officer has been arrested in connection to her death.
Following her tragic death, thousands of women have yet again come forward to share the lengths they have to go to in order to feel safe in their daily lives.
Sharing coping mechanisms such as holding keys between our fingers, pretending to be on the phone or crossing the road to avoid people.
Women across the UK organised vigils to pay respect to Sarah Everard.
Her death affected so many of us and they wanted to pay respects to her while protesting the violence that women live in fear of every day.
These vigils and protests were peaceful, the attendants wore masks and were socially distanced.
The police, rather than protect the attendees, attacked them. All over social media we saw videos of women, outnumbered two, three, four or five to one, pinned down and handcuffed.
It was such a hugely disproportionate response, that it reminded me of the ridiculous police response to the Black Lives Matter protests in America last year.
So, what is the Government’s response to this endless attack on women?
A policing bill that seeks to scupper people’s right to protest.
Interestingly enough, when the Black Lives Matters protests reached the UK last year, the UK Government didn’t bother to discuss the issue of racism.
Instead, they announced plans to bring in prison sentences and massive fines for people who damage statues of slave owners.
Now, when women protest the violence that we incur simply for existing, the UK Government hamfistedly try and push through a Policing Bill that will send people to prison for up to ten years if their protest annoys people.
The hypocrisy of the party that decries “wokeness” and “snowflakes” putting people in jail for simply upsetting them cannot be overstated.
Then there’s the additional layer of hypocrisy from the Scottish Tories, who’ve spent months decrying the Scottish Government’s thoroughly scrutinised and debated Hate Crime Bill because of free speech concerns, voting in favour of this Policing Bill – which is a ridiculous attack on civil liberties – without a second look. There’s no limit to their brass neck.
Something the UK Government could have done, instead of trying to rush this Bill through Parliament, is ratify the Istanbul Convention on Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence.
It wouldn’t take them long, given that my former SNP colleague Eilidh Whiteford wrote the Bill for them in 2017.
This is a column about women, and violence against us and its message is simple: stop it
If we have to teach our daughters to try and avoid violence then we must also start teaching our sons not to commit it.
Women do the heavy lifting in society – we carry the most caring responsibility for people all ages.
It’s not just happening to others elsewhere, it is happening on our streets to women in Paisley and Renfrewshire.
It’s time men start caring for us, as much as we care for everyone else.