More must be done to protect women from violence
ONE year ago this week, the murder of Sarah Everard by former Met Police officer Wayne Couzens sent shockwaves across the UK.
She was just walking home. An outpouring of grief and anger followed as people learned that she was killed by a man whose job it was to protect her.
Since then, so many other women around the world have lost their lives as a result of gender-based violence.
Women’s Street Watch Newcastle launched in September last year, following the appalling murders of Sarah Everard and primary school teacher Sabina Nessa, in an effort to keep women safe at night.
It has dozens of female volunteers, like group spokeswoman Sarah Gate, patrolling the city’s streets every weekend looking out for vulnerable women in need of help.
Sarah said: “What happened to Sarah Everard really highlighted this [women’s safety] is a major issue for the people who maybe didn’t think about these things day to day.
“But, for most women, we’re very conscious that it was like this before Sarah Everard’s death and it continues to be like this [one year on.]
“We have lost so many other women in that time period.
“We lost Sabina Nessa, we lost Aisling Murphy, and we’re still losing three women a week to gender-based violence.
“It is a poignant time because it was a very deep loss and something that made people think [about the issue].
“But, when it comes down to the general day-to-day and how women live their lives, we are continuing to live in the way that we have always had to, to try and keep ourselves safe.”
Following Sarah Everard’s murder, the Government announced a £25m package of measures in a bid to make women feel safer, including better street lighting and CCTV, as well as a pilot scheme which would see plainclothes officers in pubs and clubs.
But Women’s Street Watch doesn’t feel that such measures have made an impact to tackle the “root cause” of the issue.
“CCTV and street lighting wouldn’t have saved Sarah Everard, it wouldn’t have made any difference to what happened to her,” spokeswoman Sarah Gate said.
“I don’t feel any safer walking down the street thinking there is an extra CCTV camera there.
“All that tells me is that if someone did take me, you would be able to see it on CCTV.
“I don’t feel like it would prevent something from happening to me.
“I think that most women will feel like nothing has changed day-to-day and even if the things were promised actually came through, most of us don’t feel safer from those objectives.
“I think it is always going to be an issue until we change the way that women are viewed in society and until we address the real root of the problem, which is a very clear gender bias towards men.”
Sarah feels that educating young people and more female police officers will be positive next steps to tackle the issue.
“We are aware that we can’t change this overnight and that is why Women’s Street Watch is taking to the streets to try and protect women ourselves,” she said.
“We need to see more long-term strategy around how we solve this issue. Half the population are women and when you have half the population not feeling safe, this should be a major issue.”
Women’s Street Watch said it has helped “countless women in really difficult situations” in its first six months and has now raised £10,000 for a dedicated taxi to help take some of the most vulnerable women home from nights out in the city.
The group thanked Northumbria Police for the support it has received since its launch as it urged men to step up and help.
“It’s not a personal attack on men, but it’s a call for men who don’t do these things to step up and help,” Sarah said.
“If your first reaction is to go ‘it’s not all men,’ rather than go ‘yes I know that happens, I have seen it happen and I’m going to call it out from now on,’ then nothing will change.”
Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Kim Mcguinness, said in response to Sarah Everard’s death the force has rolled out measures including “enhanced” police patrols at night and the ‘Safer Transport Northumbria’ reporting app.
“Sarah’s death shook the entire country, and I for one will never forget the heartbreaking words of her mother’s victim impact statement,” Ms Mcguinness said.
“What happened played on the mind of every single woman I spoke to. Like me – friends, residents, colleagues – everyone was upset and outraged.
“Every police officer I spoke to was equally appalled and disgusted too – it was a most horrific attack on an innocent woman and, at
the same time, a damaging attack on the policing profession.
“Although we are miles away up here, I’ve certainly seen a movement demanding women’s rights to safety and there has been a lot of really good work happening to help women feel and be safer.
“Enhanced police patrols at night, specialist support interventions for victims through Rape Crisis, more street pastors on hand to help the vulnerable and the launch of the Safer Transport Northumbria app where anyone can report anything that is making them or other passengers uncomfortable when using public transport.
“We’ve also had great support all across the region for our Fun without Fear campaign, which is about encouraging reporting, raising awareness of the help available and promoting behaviour change in men.
“We’re one of the safest places in the country to enjoy a night out and Northumbria Police and I will continue to do everything we can to keep it that way.”
Newcastle Labour MP Chi Onwurah said she often thinks of Sarah Everard and the other women, including Sabina Nessa and Bibaa Henry, who lost their lives to male violence.
She called on the Government to do more to tackle the issue, saying they are “failing women and girls.”
“We must not tolerate violence against women or the culture of objectification and sexualisation which fosters it,” Ms Onwurah said.
“We must stop treating it as women’s responsibility to end the violence perpetrated against them by men.”
Women’s Street Watch is on the look out for more volunteers. To get involved contact the group via its social media pages @WSWNCL.