Sarah Everard protest hears calls for gender violence to be made political priority

A picture shows messages and floral tributes left by well-wishers to honour murder victim Sarah Everard at the bandstand on Clapham Common in south London. Picture: DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP via Getty Images

A protest that was organised in the wake of Sarah Everard’s murder in the UK has called for gender violence to be made a political priority.

The “socially distant standout” in Dublin was organised by ROSA (for Reproductive rights, against Oppression, Sexism & Austerity) with more due to take place later this week.

Ruth Coppinger, one of the organisers, said: “We are here today in grief and anger at the senseless killing of Sarah Everard and in solidarity with all victims and survivors of gender-based violence.

“Sarah’s murder has unleashed a torrent of accounts from women of how restricted our lives are by the constant threat of harassment and assault.” 

Ms Everard, 33, went missing while walking home from a friend’s flat in south London on March 3, and her body was found on March 10.

Serving police officer Wayne Couzens, 48, has been charged with Ms Everard’s kidnap and murder.

On Saturday, the UK’s Metropolitan Police faced intense criticism for its handling of a London vigil in memory of Ms Everard, with officers accused of “grabbing and manhandling” women during clashes with the crowd.

While the vigil in Clapham, south London, was largely peaceful, scuffles broke out at the front of a crowd of hundreds as police surrounded a bandstand covered in floral tributes to the 33-year-old.

UK police said that four people were arrested for public order and coronavirus regulation breaches.

Sarah Everard. File picture.

Ms Coppinger said that ROSA has welcomed “the worldwide movement that’s developing against sexual harassment, gender violence and femicide”.

She said that the standout “is an essential protest because during the pandemic, gender violence has soared worldwide and in Ireland calls to gardaí increased by 25% in one quarter and by 43% to Women's Aid hotline”.

“It was already extremely difficult for women to leave abusive relationships due to lack of supports and a housing crisis, now they have no escape in lockdown.” 

She said that Ireland has a society “which normalises and excuses violence against women, non-gender-conforming and transgender people.

“A macho culture, with objectification of women, victim-blaming, slut-shaming and rape myths is a lethal mix. Misogyny is particularly woven into the Irish state in health, welfare and the courts and as demonstrated by the mother and baby homes.” 

Ms Coppinger added that ROSA is demanding that gender violence “is made a political priority with education throughout society, proper resourcing for rape crisis centres and refuges and a radical overhaul of the legal system which has multiple barriers to pursuing abusers”.

A further Reclaim the Streets protest is due to take place in Belfast today. On Thursday, protests will take place in Cork, Limerick and Galway.

Gardaí are at the scene of the protest in Dublin. 

Gardaí have previously said in statements that the current Covid-19 travel restrictions do not apply “in the case of domestic violence or to escape a risk of harm, whether to the person or to another person”.

“An Garda Síochána continues to appeal to any person who may have been the victim of an incident of sexual or domestic crime irrespective of whether you may have been on breach of any public health regulations, for instance by attending a house party, An Garda Síochána is here to assist and support you, please report all such incidents.”