Sarah Everard was walking home from a friend’s house at 9 o’clock in the evening when she was attacked. The most normal, ordinary, wholesome thing that you could imagine. Which makes it all the more tragic.
But I have a problem.
Somewhere in the narrative is a feeling that that’s exactly what a woman ought to be doing. Walking home. From a friend’s house. At 9 o’clock in the evening. She didn’t deserve to be killed while she was walking home from a friend’s house at 9 o’clock in the evening.
No. No. No.
A woman* doesn’t deserve to be killed ever, at any time, doing any activity.
If a woman is walking home – she should be safe.
If a woman is walking to work – she should be safe.
If a woman is walking to the pub – she should be safe.
If a woman is walking to a club – she should be safe.
If a woman is walking to her boyfriend’s to watch Netflix and chill – she should be safe.
And she was walking home from a friend’s house – again, a nice sensible place to be walking home from.
If a woman is walking home from a friend’s house – she should be safe.
If a woman is walking home from work – she should be safe.
If a woman is walking home from the pub – she should be safe.
If a woman is walking home from a club – she should be safe.
If a woman is walking home from an evening watching Netflix and chilling with her boyfriend – she should be safe.
And she was walking home from a friend’s house at 9 o’clock – not too late at night, very sensible.
If a woman is out at 9 o’clock – she should be safe.
If a woman is out at 10 o’clock – she should be safe.
If a woman is out at 2 o’clock in the morning – she should be safe.
If a woman is out at 7 o’clock in the morning – she should be safe.
If a woman is out at 10 o’clock in the morning – she should be safe.
If a woman is out at 3 o’clock in the afternoon – she should be safe.
And as for walking –
If a woman is walking – she should be safe.
If a woman takes a taxi – she should be safe.
If a woman takes the bus – she should be safe.
If a woman takes the train – she should be safe.
Wherever she’s going, wherever she’s coming from, whatever time of the day, however she chooses to get there – she should be safe.
Let’s not make this a conversation about women doing the ‘right’ thing. Let’s make this a conversation about men not doing the wrong thing.
*Or anyone else.
