India Marriott
On Saturday 11th March a memorial was held on the steps of Nottingham’s Council House in memory of those who have died as the result of gender-based violence. Impact’s India reports on this event.
Shoes were displayed on the steps, each representing a different woman, and leaflets were handed out with information regarding gender-based violence and ways in which you can help to tackle it, alongside information regarding some specific cases.
In 2021 it was recorded that at least 141 women were killed by men (or where a man is the principal suspect), in the UK. Furthermore, “in the year ending March 2020, the Crime Survey for England and Wales estimated 1.6 million women aged 16 to 74 years in England and Wales experienced domestic abuse, around 7% of the female population.”
Since 2015, over 1,366 women have been killed
In honour of International Women’s Day, this memorial urged the city of Nottingham to remember the names of the victims of these horrific crimes and to continue to fight against gender-based violence. The names of these women were collected by Karen Ingala-Smith, “and since she began [collecting] in 2015 over 1,366 women have been killed.”
“The situation is getting worse, and we have a duty to act”
“Last year we held a vigil after the murder of Sarah Everard and people may also remember Sabina Nessa, both women killed last year and whose deaths made national headlines. But between Sarah and Sabina, at least 77 other women were killed in circumstances where a man is held as a suspect, awaiting trial or should be if he were still alive. The situation is getting worse, and we have a duty to act.”
The public was urged to lobby MPs for better resources and support for legal action, lobby MPs for increased funding for services supporting women leaving abusive relationships, and to support local women’s charities such as Juno.
This poignant reminder of the tragic deaths of these women was an incredible way to honour them, and to encourage further change throughout Nottingham and its wider communities this International Women’s Day.
For Juno: https://junowomensaid.org.uk/
India Marriott
Featured image courtesy of Jason Leung via Unsplash. Image license found here. No changes were made to this image.
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