In light of Sarah Everard’s disappearance, renewed conversations around the safety of women and girls are being brought to the forefront and the narrative of victim-blaming, present as ever in the news reports and official statements by the police, is being criticised once again. New statistics from UN Women UK show that 97% of young women aged 18-24 have been sexually harassed and only 4% of women said they reported the incidents of harassment to an official organisation – with 45% saying they didn’t believe reporting would help change anything.
Some may be surprised by this statistic. As a young woman and a student, I am not. Activists for women’s rights have been saying this for years and have been met with disbelief. Even now, there are some who are doubting this data as seen in this Instagram post by @cutecatcalls
In response to these discussions and statistics, #NotAllMen began trending on Twitter. This in itself reveals a massive part of the problem. No one ever says all men, yet valuable conversations surrounding women’s issues are consistently hijacked by this defence. If those who rise so quickly to defend men, used even half of that energy to defend the essential human rights of women and gender-diverse people, this issue might be in a far better place by now.
Of course, it is not all men who harass women, but it is almost all women who experience harassment. Evidently, too many men are disrespecting and violating women – whether that be harassing girls in public, witnessing public sexual harassment and allowing it to continue or even permitting the attitude which cultivates these behaviours (through sexist or violent jokes and remarks or attitudes within schools and universities).
For as long as our safety is not guaranteed, our lives are restricted. I do not go out in the dark alone. I feel unsafe in fairly empty streets – even when it is not dark. I cross the road when I see groups of men. I hold my keys in between my fingers. I make sure my friends know where I’m going and when I’ve arrived safely. I already change my behaviour to try to stay safe – clearly, it is not enough.
We see the way victims like Sarah Everard are treated and we see the advice from news outlets and UK authorities telling women not to go out at night. We see where the emphasis lies when women face gender-based violence. And truthfully, we are scared.
Now I’m left asking: what will it take for society and those in positions of power to ensure the safety of women, girls and gender-diverse people? When will our safety become a priority?
Add your name to UN Women’s open letter to parliament and help us to demand change www.unwomenuk.org/safe-spaces-now
Sign the petition by Our Streets Now and Plan UK to make public sexual harassment a specific criminal offence, #CrimeNotCompliment.
Follow the Our Streets Now campaign in Nottingham, #StudentsNotObjects.
Raise awareness, educate yourself and others and call out sexist attitudes when you see them.