Sarah Everand’s Death Sparks a Worldwide Movement
Saly Moubayed
The kidnapping and murder of 33-year old Sarah Everand ignited worldwide outrage over violent attacks against women, encouraging women worldwide to share their stories of harassment and times they felt unsafe. Sarah Everand, a young woman described as kind and compassionate by her family and friends, was found dead on Friday, March 12th. Everand had seemingly done everything right: following all of the typical protocols women are advised to take when traveling in public alone. She called her boyfriend to let him know of her whereabouts, she walked on a luminous street, and she always wore bright colors when she went out for her regular runs. But after Sarah left her friend’s house at 9:00pm on March 3rd, in Clapham, London, she never made it back home.
Wayne Couzens, the 48-year old police officer who was arrested and charged with the murder of Sarah Everand on March 12th, appeared Westminster Magistrates' Court in London on Saturday, March 13. Prior to his arrest, London police went door to door and urged women to stay inside for their own safety. The police's reaction to the incident infuriated thousands of women who were appalled at the fact that they were being asked to stay inside and are instead “demanding safety from male violence — and demanding that the police, the government and men collectively be the ones to bear the burden of ensuring it” (The New York Times).
The first response to news of the city-wide curfew for women was a vigil that occurred on Saturday night in remembrance of Sarah Everand. Unfortunately, a night meant to memorialize Everand turned into chaos when London police interrupted the group of protesters and began to grab at protesters in an effort to scatter them. The crowd began to shout: “Arrest your own,” in reference to the police officer found to be responsible for the kidnapping and murder of Ms. Everand.
A few days after the vigil, a group called “Reclaim These Streets” intended on holding another gathering in order to protest women being forced to stay at home when they believe it is the men who should be educated and penalized for harassing and attacking women. London police threatened to fine those in attendance if the event was not canceled. Organizers of the gathering relented and canceled the event after realizing that money from the fines would go directly to the same police department that they were protesting against. The police’s actions in this situation sent a clear, chilling message to women across the country and around the world — police are more willing to limit the freedom of women instead of working to put an end to male violence.
The murder of Sarah Everand pushed many to action as they began to realize that they were living in "a constant state of bargaining” (The New York Times). These women can no longer tolerate the fact that no matter what they do or what precautions they take, they will never be safe in a society that protects and defends male perpetrators instead of punishing them. All too often, women are asked what they were wearing or how late they were walking, which places the blame on the victims. Women are constantly blamed for ''failing'' to take certain precautions when it is the attackers who commit the crime.
Heinous attacks against women have become such a regular occurrence that many have become desensitized to the reality of the situation. The murder of Sarah Everand struck people across the globe, inspiring women and supporters to speak out about the times they have felt unsafe in similar situations, but were either too afraid to speak out against their assailants or had their cases dismissed. Thousands of women have decided that they will not be silenced anymore. The story of Sarah Everand and others like her will not be forgotten and will instead serve as the motivation for much needed change.
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