.
To receive breaking news alerts in real time, simply sign up for our email notifications at no cost.
.
Subscribe to our complimentary email updates containing the latest breaking news.
The Independent has discovered that since the murder of Sarah Everard, a man has been responsible for the deaths of at least 350 women. This is equivalent to one woman losing her life every three days.
Experts who are feeling frustrated have pointed out that the government is still not adequately protecting women. This revelation came to light on the third anniversary of the kidnapping and murder of Ms. Everard by a police officer on duty.
Her death was hailed as a watershed moment which sparked an outpouring of anger over women’s safety and shone a light on the epidemic of violence against women and girls.
The family of Sarah Everard expressed that Wayne Couzens should never have been employed as a police officer.
(Crown Prosecution Service/PA) provided a handout to the family.
However, activists have expressed skepticism towards efforts to address the problem, stating that mere rhetoric is not enough and that there is still much more work to be done.
According to data from the Femicide Census provided to The Independent, there have been at least 350 cases where a man has been implicated as the perpetrator or main suspect in a woman’s death since the passing of Ms Everard on March 3, 2021.
According to executive director Dr Karen Ingala Smith, this equates to an average of one woman being killed by a man every three days.
The passing of Sarah Everard incited widespread anger about the security of women and exposed the widespread issue of violence targeting women and girls.
Out of these, 80% had a connection with the person who caused their death. Among these, 43% were killed by a former or current romantic partner, 12% by a family member, and 15% by a male acquaintance.
She stated: “The statistic of eight percent of women in the UK who are killed by men being killed by strangers has remained steady since our records began in 2009. If you ask me if there have been any changes since Sarah’s murder, my response is no.”
The figures come after an inquiry into Ms Everard’s killer Wayne Couzens uncovered an astonishing string of blunders in the recruitment of the predator to the Metropolitan Police and eight missed opportunities to stop him in his tracks.
Ms Everard, a 33-year-old marketing executive, was walking home in Clapham, south London, when she was tricked by Couzens, who falsely arrested her before driving to Kent where he raped and strangled and dumped her burnt body in woodland.
Following her passing, numerous mourning females congregated for a vigil at Clapham Common, demanding action to stop violence against women by males and the basic privilege of being able to walk home without fear.
Anna Birley, co-founder of vigil organisers Reclaim These Streets, told The Independent: “We were promised that tackling violence against women and girls would be a priority for this government, but these figures show that this was all empty words.
“Women are still being murdered by men, demand for domestic violence services remains at record highs and rapes are still going unprosecuted.
The government is not adequately addressing the problem or taking appropriate measures to ensure the safety of women.
Numerous bereaved women came together for a gathering at Clapham Common, urging for measures to be taken in order to stop acts of violence by men towards women.
According to Andrea Simon, the head of the End Violence Against Women Coalition (EVAW), every one of the 350 women who have died in the past three years has been let down by society.
In the past three years, there have been many promises and high-level commitments made to address the issue of violence against women. However, there is still a significant amount of work that needs to be done. This was stated by the speaker in an interview with The Independent.
”
The goal of addressing violence needs to be a top priority in all the efforts made to combat it. Improvements must be made in police efforts to address all types of abuse, including better identification, prompt action, and protective measures when women report violence to minimize the likelihood of femicide.
Law enforcement and legal institutions have a responsibility to intervene and prevent repeat offenders from consistently committing crimes against females.
“We must actively work to change societal attitudes, including the presence of sexism and male entitlement which perpetuates violence against women and downplays its seriousness.”
“She asserts that the key to improving women’s feelings of safety and freedom lies in high-quality education and well-funded public information campaigns. However, until we address damaging attitudes and the disparities that make women and girls vulnerable, true progress cannot be achieved.”
Investigation into the murder of Sarah Everard by Wayne Couzens revealed multiple mistakes made in the hiring process that allowed him to become a police officer.
The calls come after this week Labour MP Jess Phillips read out in the House of Commons the names of every woman killed last year, warning the “epidemic of violence against women and girls has not abated”.
In her statement, she emphasized the importance of recognizing the significance of these women and their impact on politics. She reiterated her long-standing call for the government to take action in reducing femicide, stating that empty promises and lack of political focus will not make a difference in the number of lives lost.
For the past nine years, the MP has spoken the names of victims in the chamber, emphasizing that each life lost is a clear indication of the failure to prioritize women’s safety.
She said, “I am exhausted by the fact that women’s safety is valued less than small boats in this area. I am tired of constantly advocating for overall change while only being offered small, inadequate solutions.”
Politicians should never again use the excuse of “lessons will be learned” after a major failure. This statement is often not followed through with action.
This roster is now more than a mere reflection of the lives of these women; it also serves as a reminder of our shared shortcomings.
Jess Phillips, a member of the Labour party, expressed her exhaustion with advocating for significant transformations and receiving insignificant compromises.
(UK Parliament photo by Maria Unger, PA)
Jhiselle Feanny, co-founder of Killed Women, a campaign group of families bereaved by male violence against women, described the latest figures as “devastating”.
She spoke about the significance of each life lost and the devastating impact on families. Despite three years passing, with numerous notifications, news stories, evaluations, and discoveries, parliament is still relaying the latest death count.
According to a recent survey of families who have lost a loved one, nearly 70% believed that their loved one’s death could have been prevented. Additionally, two-thirds of the families reported that the perpetrator had a history of violence. In response to this, she stated that violence against women is a preventable crime.
Ms. Feanny emphasized that these deaths and injustices can and should be prevented. She believes that the killings of women should not be accepted as unavoidable tragedies, but rather recognized as preventable crimes.
“There is an urgent need for leaders and policymakers to take action in order for women to live without fear, threats, and violence.”
Rewritten: A representative from the government stated that they are dedicated to addressing violence against women and enhancing the police’s handling of these heinous acts. They have categorized it as a national threat, along with other threats like terrorism, and have appointed the first-ever specialized national lead for policing.
The Angiolini investigation has examined concerns regarding the culture within the police force, and the government will continue to collaborate with law enforcement partners to ensure that appropriate standards are maintained consistently.
Source: independent.co.uk
