February 2022

 

Wondered if there was nothing new to say…worried there was nothing new to say.  

 

well there is and there isn’t-   that the point.

 

this is our  6th  vigil – that we - WEP - are delighted to be here with you - on Twickenham Green

 

…..and we do feel like we are saying the same thing……but that is because not enough is changing and we need to keep saying it

 

We have been here the first Monday of each month since Oct

 

to mark, remember and bear witness to the women who die at hands of men or where a man is the chief suspect…

 

In a moment I’ll invite you to spend a moment in silence with us as a mark of respect…..

 

 

 

But If we needed to be reminded of the need to be standing here and of the importance of speaking out about violence against women and girls

 

in the last month or so …….our headlines have been filled with…..

 

Aishling Murphy – young teacher in Ireland -who was murderd in daylight in a crowded place whilst out for a run.     Talking a friend – shocked all of Ireland- similar to the reaction to the death of Princess Diana… vigils all over the country – musicians playing – men came and brought flowers.    As she said to me – “this is Ireland – that doesn’t usually happen”.

 

Results of inquiry into the Met police based at Charring Cross - showing threads of – jokes about rape and beating women – too horrible to be reported in any detail. 

 

We need to balance the words of the report -   “not isolated  incidents or a few bad apples”

 

with the idea that not ALL police hold misogynistic and violent attitudes -   for Eg our copper here tonight-   and we had a couple of PC’s and recent WEP meetings

 

of course we are not talking about all men- there are lots of good men out there - and we very much welcome men and women who want to join us to raise awareness and speak out about the level of violence against women and girls that is just unacceptable…….

 

I’m not the first person to observe that if it were the other way around – if men were being killed by women. ……would there be a different reaction?

 

 

In fact the figures for 2022 are not available but to give some perspective ….

 

 

in 2021 – 139 women killed in that year

that’s 2.7 women a week killed or suspected killed by a man

 

that’s one woman every 3 days…..

 

And let us not forget that these women are not just statistics – each is a tragedy on a very personal level.

 

 

We are now going to light a candle and hold a moment of silence…..

 

SILENCE

 

Thank you for coming- and bless you for turning out on a bold and wintry February night. 

 

Great to see you and see the level of support

 

 

Please keep going.   in whatever way you can.

 

Keep turning up, keep speaking out and speaking up

 

Follow Richmond WEP on Twitter and Facebook. Re-tweet us and re-post our posts.

 

Similarly follow Karen and Counting Dead Women. who regularly compile national figures on the women who die in this way.

 

Re-tweet and re-post.

 

Write to your local MP and local councillor.

 

Vote for the Women’s Equality Party candidates in the Council elections in May.

 

Come and talk to us if you would like any more information.

 

Please travel home safely. And please join us again next month on March 7th. .

 

 

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