LONDON (Reuters) – Britain’s top police officer has tried to reassure women to make it safe to walk the streets of London at night after one of his officers was arrested on suspicion of kidnapping and murdering a woman. 33 years.
The disappearance of Sarah Everard and the announcement that human remains had been found caused the woman to flood social media with posts about the steps they take when they are alone at night to protect themselves, including the keys to using them. as a weapon and bring trainers to help them run.
Others detailed a catalog of incidents of harassment by men in public during the decades since they were schoolgirls.
“They are so powerful because each and every one of the women can relate,” said Interior Minister Priti Patel. “All women should feel safe to walk our streets without fear of harassment or violence.”
Everard was last seen at 9.30pm on March 3 as he was on his way home from a friend’s house in south London. His image, smiling at the camera or captured on closed circuit television that evening, has been splashed by British newspapers all week.
An officer, about 40 years old and tasked with guarding diplomatic buildings, has been arrested on suspicion of murder, kidnapping and indecent exposure, while a thirty-year-old woman has also been arrested on suspicion of attending a delinquent.
Cressida Dick, the head of the London police force, said she and her colleagues were “totally dismayed” by the news that a service officer had been arrested, saying he had sent waves of “shock and anger”. to the public and the police.
“I know Londoners will want to know that luckily it’s incredibly rare for a woman to be abducted from our streets,” he said.
“But I fully understand that, despite this, women in London and the general public, particularly those in the area where Sarah disappeared, will be concerned and may be afraid.”
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday he was shocked and deeply saddened by the events, while the disappearance caused #saraheverard to go online while the women shared their experiences.
“The message that needs to be sent is that male violence is something that needs to be addressed and challenged and that the judiciary and society need to be awakened,” said Jess Phillips, an opposition spokeswoman on violence. opposition Labor Party.
“At the moment, we just don’t take it seriously, because we take other crimes.”
On Saturday night there will be a vigil for Everard called Reclaim The Streets.
Edited by Guy Faulconbridge and Alison Williams