I had colleague at work express to me her horror and fear in the light Sarah Everard's brutal and violent death. How unsafe it made her feel and how it could have been anyone; she was just your average everyday woman, afterall. This much is true. It is shocking and frightening. But her death is unfortunately one of many horrific examples of a) the serious issue we have with gender based violence in this country. B) that no, it doesn't matter what you wear, what 'type of woman' you are (ie the reaction would not have been as strong if she were walking home drunk or had a short skirt on, cos you know THOSE women are asking for it) and c) yet another example of police brutality. But what is it about this case that has caused such a huge public reaction? Definitely the fact that a police officer has been charged is part of it, but beyond that, before that. This has had wall to wall coverage and affected the public in a way that no, we don't always see. Is it the case that like with my colleague, people react more strongly when they can personally identify with the victim? Is this why we didn't hear about Blessing Olusegun's death just 6 months ago? Blessing Olusegun, whose body was found and the case just dropped really, after a short period and zero pressure. Blessing was found, drowned, with her shoes and phone next to her. Who drowns and is found washed up next to their belongings neatly lined up? Surely they would have gone off in another direction? I'm not a detective but, seems suspicious to me. Her death was unexplained but not seen to be suspicious... Viewed as accidental. As was Shukri Abdi's death. The 12 year old from Manchester who drowned in the company of other children who had bullied her for being  Black, Somali and Muslim. 

We also have countless examples of police brutality against Black and brown women, namely last November with a woman who preferred to remain unnamed, Getting punched in the face repeatedly by officers because, she was Black. She had been working on an essay for university and on the way back from picking up a takeaway had gotten a lift from a friend. He was pulled over (admittedly for drunk driving) but she was an innocent passenger in the car. Even if she had not been, that level of force when questioning someone, whatever they are suspected of, is out of check. We all know that. But perhaps that will never be as shocking to the public as the picture of of young, white, middle classed woman being held down by officers.

Would a picture of a Black woman being held down by the police have caused the same swell of social media response? 

That young woman, all the women who were fined/manhandled, moved along by officers at Sarah Everard's vigil were mistreated, let down by those who are supposed to be there to protect us. The whole Sarah Everard case is disgusting, horrifying, inside and out. Both what happened to her and also, quite importantly, who was responsible. I would be shocked if I wasn't already so cynical. This is a prime example of how unsafe it is to be a woman, still. A prime example, but not the only one. How 'popular' and well known these stories, these cases become is a complicated beast. Who had heard of Blessing Olusegun? Who has heard of Nicole Smallman and Bibaa Henry, 2 Black British sisters who were murdered last summer? Yes, I had, because I make it my business to know. None of their murderers have been found and bought to justice. With Henry and Smallman, the police apparently failed to respond quick enough to them being reported missing, because according to their mother, former Archdeacon of Southend, Mina Smallman, all the police officers heard was that the sisters were Black women living on an estate and responded slower through that lens. When their bodies were eventually found, police officers took selfies with the bodies of Nicole and Bibaa... Selfies next to the abused, stabbed corpses of Black women. No, they didn't kill them, but they dehumanised them nonetheless.

Were there national vigils for Nicole and Bibaa? Public outrage at the police response? Yes, but to a much, much lesser degree. Because this story didn't 'hit home' with as many people. Sarah Everard was... Your classic girl next door type perhaps. White, blonde, not out drinking or partying, not dressed up... A truly 'innocent' victim, in the mind of social consciousness at least. Were Nicole and Bibaa less 'innocent'? They were out drinking, celebrating...maybe they were dressed up...they were less 'girl next door', more Black girls from an estate and that carries certain connotations and ideas with it. Maybe, as my colleague at work suggested, they were just not viewed as your 'average, everyday woman', so not as worrying, not as concerning. 

I don't feel any more or less safe hearing about a black or white woman being murdered or raped or abused in anyway shape or form. No more or less moved or upset but I will make sure I make myself remember the case, the names, if it is a Black woman, or woman of colour, because they end up being less vibrant in public memory and social consciousness. They end up being forgotten. 

The police force in this country is fucked. It is racist. Misogynistic. Abusive (of its powers) and needs more than these pathetic investigations into procedure. We also have a huge issue with gender based violence. Whether that is intimate partner violence, revenge attacks or strangers finding random victims. I have no idea what the proportion is for black to white women who are murdered, raped, kidnapped, abused but what I do know is that it is probably way over 90% (95%?) of the perpetrators that are men and the colour of the victims skin will definitely determine how much publicity/public outrage will be generated. 

I hope Wayne Couzens (the police officer charged with Sarah Everard's death) has the proverbial book thrown at him and that the pressure being applied to address/turn around some of the really scary human rights issues in the new police, crime, sentencing and courts bill, will also bear fruit. We have needed an overhaul and serious pushback for a long time really, our freedoms and rights have been dwindling for years, although I suppose some of us have known that for longer... 

It is worth pointing out that at the time of my posting this, on Instagram #saraheverard has around 40000 on that hashtag. #Bibaahenry #Nicolesmallman and #blessingolusegun have about 3 - 400 each and they were from last summer and October respectively. THAT says something loud. Even as people of colour WE don't get to hear these stories often, unless we search for them, because they are just not widely shared. And we have to think about why and what that means. I'm hurt and angry that yet another woman has become a victim of this dangerous climate we live in. I have a daughter and a trans son (who looks, to the rest of the world currently, female), so it concerns me deeply. THIS NEEDS TO CHANGE and if we are not allowed to protest against it, or any injustice, what exactly does freedom mean anymore?