CAMPAIGNERS and politicians told how they’ve “had enough” of violence against women at a vigil at Holyrood to mark the anniversary of the death of Sarah Everard.
Everard was killed on March 3, 2021 by serving Metropolitan police officer Wayne Couzens. One year on, and activists are still calling for real change.
Jessica Ross attended the vigil outside the Scottish Parliament with her young children Harry and Darcy, who had “stop hurting us” written on their faces. After MSPs from across all parties posed with the children, Ross asked MSPs what they were going to do about it, and what action they were going to take “now that the photo op is over”.
Charlotte Armitage, a 23-year-old university student, and one of the event organisers, gave an empowered speech and said remembered exactly what she was doing when she heard of Everard’s murder.
She said: “Sarah took all of the safety measures women are programmed to take. She wore bright identifiable clothing, she used well-lit roads, she called her boyfriend en route and he knew where she was.”
Armitage told of her own experiences of misogyny and sexual violence. She added: “I’m tired of living my life like this, let me say this with all of my heart, I have had enough. We have had enough. Men are afforded the right without fear or threat, why can’t we be able to do the same?”
SNP’s Hannah Bardell told the crowd it was easy to understand why Everard’s death was a “watershed” moment and that Couzens wasn’t just a “one of a few rotten apples”.
She said: “We have to recognise the systematic problems the Met and other police forces across the UK have with misogyny, homophobia, racism and discrimination, and I say that as someone who has a family member in the police, and who cherishes and values our police highly – they are being let down by their leadership.
“I said it at Westminster and I’ll say it again, it was unbelievable that when women protested Sarah Everard’s murder they were arrested in the blink of an eye, yet a blind eye was turned when the appalling actions of those at Westminster went on during Covid. It doesn’t matter if we’re just walking home, or out for a run in the middle of the night, or dancing down the street in our kickers, we should be able to live our lives without fear of being murdered.”
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