Proposed vigil for Sarah Everard, your views?

Alegrias1

There is huge outrage in Scotland about the Rangers fans in George Square. All of the political parties condemned it, all with one voice, nobody has been wringing their hands. The Rangers fans weren't all men, either.

There is understanding here that the police couldn't just wade in to a crowd of excited Rangers fans.

The Health Secretary today was very clear that nobody should be gathering just now for anything.

Yes - I was wrong to believe the first bbc item I read and not look further.

I think the optics would have looked better if it hadnt been the met police saying the protest couldnt go ahead. Considering the circumstances it feels wrong.

Our posts crossed Suzie

However the fans involved were all selfish gits ( and majority men) and didn’t attempt to socially distance ( which the nurses did and tomorrow’s organisers planned to do) I agree though none of them should have taken place.

Oh selfish gits, no question.

The desire to mark this sad occurrence is entirely understandable, but clearly cannot happen at the moment.

NotTooOld

No, they can't hold a vigil now, wrong time.
Terribly sad story, this. I feel so sorry for her parents.

NotTooOld I agree.

The Health Secretary today was very clear that nobody should be gathering just now for anything.
I agree Alegrias

It's not just because we have a lockdown either, it is so raw at the moment and I don't think this would help her parents at all.
Perhaps after the court case?

Callistemon

NotTooOld

No, they can't hold a vigil now, wrong time.
Terribly sad story, this. I feel so sorry for her parents.

NotTooOld I agree.

The Health Secretary today was very clear that nobody should be gathering just now for anything.
I agree Alegrias

It's not just because we have a lockdown either, it is so raw at the moment and I don't think this would help her parents at all.
Perhaps after the court case?

I don’t think we can speak for her parents. The desire to hold the vigil now is about seizing the moment and in normal times, would be what usually happens these days. But of course it’s not normal times.

We can't speak for her parents, of course, we can only imagine their grief.
Campaigning later in Sarah's name for reclaiming of the streets might be something to aim towards as have parents of other victims.

I live about 4 miles from where this vigil is proposed. Lots of people are still going. They will be masked, socially distanced, peaceful, respectful. Not drunk, singing, arm in arm. It won’t be an excuse for partying or mixing. I think it should be permitted.

I'm generally against huge gatherings to express our collective grief but I do wish they'd won their court case.

No-one should be telling us we shouldn't be gathering together - but then that's old ground and I know few people agree with me.

Every woman in every town, city and village should be out tonight showing solidarity. I suggest standing quietly with a candle socially distanced in the open air for an agreed length of time. 5 minutes maybe. Then quietly and with dignity walk away and go home.
Unlike the football celebration gathering there will be no singing, shouting or hugging. The likelihood of virus spreading is low and outdoor transmission is deemed to be unlikely.

The vigil has been cancelled. My DD lives near Clapham common and had been thinking about attending the vigil, but being very cautious.

I will light a candle for Sarah at 6pm.

I think it should go ahead. I’ll be lighting a candle this evening.

I did go on some BLM vigils during last lockdown and they were so respectful social distanced groups, in the fresh air and all wore masks.
It has also been reported that there were no spikes after those
I think people should be allowed to show their respects and believe that people that will want to will be very respectful of spocial awareness

Can I drop a question into this please? I am appalled at what happened. I agree with all the sentiments expressed. But I’m curious as to why this particular case has attracted so much attention. We’ve had women murdered on their way home many times but it’s never got the interest this one has? Is it just a ‘final straw’ maybe? I’m genuinely curious. Am sincerely not being negative. ❤️

Polarbear2

Can I drop a question into this please? I am appalled at what happened. I agree with all the sentiments expressed. But I’m curious as to why this particular case has attracted so much attention. We’ve had women murdered on their way home many times but it’s never got the interest this one has? Is it just a ‘final straw’ maybe? I’m genuinely curious. Am sincerely not being negative. ❤️

I think there’s lots of potential answers to this but here’s my take. However it’s not true that there are many murders like this. It really isn’t. So that’s the first answer - it had all the ‘ingredients’ the media love including several days search for her body. Most murders of women are by men known to them and rarely involve any mystery of the murderer or search for a body. Not much of a story usually. I think stranger murders feed into women’s deep fears. Most women can imagine themselves or their dd as Sarah - they don’t imagine themselves living with a man who could murder them.

polarbear2 I wondered that too.
Perhaps because so many of us are virtually locked up we are analysing everything more. We, well most of us, have more time to think about life and values. We are wondering if we want what we have accepted about our lives or if Covid is the time to sort a few things out.
Being frightened to walk alone in the dark could be one of those things?

I think that's spot on suzie, some numbers, such as the number of women killed by their partner are almost impossible for people to process.

Galaxy

I think that's spot on suzie, some numbers, such as the number of women killed by their partner are almost impossible for people to process.

One of the ironies of cases involving men who murder current or former partners is how often police failures in taking the woman's complaints of violence/ stalking/threats seriously enough are identified. Even the police seem to find it difficult to imagine that men murder women they know despite evidence going back decades ( if not centuries )

Suziegalaxy. I agree. I retract the ‘many’. But there are murders which occur in the way this one has and although there’s media interest for a while they don’t gain the traction this one has. I’m particularly thinking of the girl who was murdered in Hull on her way home from a club. Nobody suggested vigils for her. What’s the difference? Is it because it’s London?

suziewoozie

Galaxy

I think that's spot on suzie, some numbers, such as the number of women killed by their partner are almost impossible for people to process.

One of the ironies of cases involving men who murder current or former partners is how often police failures in taking the woman's complaints of violence/ stalking/threats seriously enough are identified. Even the police seem to find it difficult to imagine that men murder women they know despite evidence going back decades ( if not centuries )

The police are aware, what a ridiculous statement! Yes there are police failures, just like medical failures, social work failures, teacher failures and failures in every other profession. It would help there to be less failures if they had the numbers necessary to do the job, but nobody wants to pay for them.

Rosie51

suziewoozie

Galaxy

I think that's spot on suzie, some numbers, such as the number of women killed by their partner are almost impossible for people to process.

One of the ironies of cases involving men who murder current or former partners is how often police failures in taking the woman's complaints of violence/ stalking/threats seriously enough are identified. Even the police seem to find it difficult to imagine that men murder women they know despite evidence going back decades ( if not centuries )

The police are aware, what a ridiculous statement! Yes there are police failures, just like medical failures, social work failures, teacher failures and failures in every other profession. It would help there to be less failures if they had the numbers necessary to do the job, but nobody wants to pay for them.

I stand by what I posted- I accept that I should have qualified it to say there is evidence that reports women make are not always taken as seriously as they might be by some officers and there is evidence to demonstrate this

However I doubt that anyone reading it honestly thought I meant anything other then that. When I post I’m not submitting an academic thesis where I weigh every word.

PS every report I’ve read into women being murdered after contact with the police where she had reported the murderer talks not of police numbers but systemic attitudinal failings towards this type of problem .

If anyone can bear it they should read Jack Montoes account of the abuse she went through, and the response of the police. It is almost impossible to read though.