LONDON (Reuters) – Britain’s senior police officer has tried to reassure women that it is safe to walk the streets of London at night after one of her officers was arrested for the abduction and murder of a 33-year-old man. year old woman.
‘Sarah Everard’s disappearance and the announcement that human remains have been found has forced the woman to flood social media with posts about the steps they take when they are alone at night to stay safe, including holding the keys to’ to use a weapon and to carry trainers to help them run.
Others have outlined a catalog of incidents of harassment by men in public during the decades since they were schoolgirls.
“It’s so powerful because every woman can tell,” Interior Minister Priti Patel said. “Every woman must feel safe walking in our streets without fear of harassment or violence.”
Everard was last seen on March 3 at 9:30 pm when she walked home from a friend’s house in south London. Her image, which smiled for the camera that night or was captured on CCTV, was splashed by British newspapers all week.
An officer, in his forties, whose job it was to guard diplomatic buildings, was arrested on charges of murder, kidnapping and indecent exposure, while a woman in her thirties was also detained for being an offender. assisted.
Cressida Dick, head of the London Police Force, said she and her colleagues were “completely shocked” by the news that a serving officer had been arrested, saying it was waves of “shock and anger” by the public and sent the police.
“I know Londoners want to know that it is incredibly rare for a woman to be abducted from our streets,” she said.
“But I fully understand that women in London and the general public, especially those in the area where Sarah went missing, will nevertheless be worried and possibly scared.”
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday he was shocked and deeply saddened by the developments as the disappearance led to #saraheverard to trend online as women relayed their experiences.
“The message that needs to be sent is that male violence is something that needs to be tackled and challenged, and that the justice system and society need to wake up to it,” said Jess Phillips, the Labor Party’s opposition spokesman on domestic violence.
“At the moment, we simply do not take it seriously, because we take other crimes.”
There will be a vigil for Everard on Saturday night called Reclaim The Streets.
Edited by Guy Faulconbridge and Alison Williams