Sept 22

 

I stood here and spoke one year ago at the first of these vigils.

 

The weather was a bit better – we took some photos that I looked at this morning, and I changed my t-shirt cos otherwise I would have been wearing the same outfit!!

 

Since that night just over 100 women have been killed by men (or a man is the principal suspect in an ongoing enquiry).

 

The total number so far this year is 68 and the total for the 2021 calendar year was 144.

 

I’m ashamed of myself that I’ve had to write those horrific numbers down – they should be seared into my memory.

 

But they’re not – and don’t fret if you get home later and can’t remember them – we’ve all become a little bit overwhelmed by statistics these day.

 

And of course the point really is that these dead women are so, so much more than statistics.

 

 

But while I’m talking about them as statistics I have to acknowledge the originator of the numbers - Karen Ingala-Smith. Karen is an academic and charity CEO who writes a blog called “Counting Dead Women”.

She and her team collate this information.

 

I searched the internet for UK gun crime statistics this morning and several Government website pages came up.

Same thing when I searched UK knife crime – the Government and the ONS are all over it.

 

But the primary source for information about the hundreds of women killed by men is an independent blog. That speaks volumes to me.

 

In fact the Government information about homicide in 2021 – the latest details available – only refer to the victim’s gender when they say that the number of men who were killed is roughly twice that of women.

 

So are we making a big fuss about nothing?

 

Absolutely not because that same report does mention that 92% of the perpetrators were men.

And all of the women on Karen’s list were killed by men.

A lot of men kill a lot of women, and yes men kill men as well.

 

Already this year nearly three women a week have been killed by men.

 

I’m tired of repeating myself but – can you imagine what the press and the politicians would be doing and saying if three men a week were being killed by women?
Do you think there might be a few more headlines if 92% of all the murders were being committed by women?

 

 

Men killing women is a social epidemic and an issue that should be covered by the press and tackled by the politicians every day.

 

Until then there will not be enough effort put into finding a solution. A solution which is so desperately needed.

 

 

Since we last met the women on Karen’s list range in age from 22 to 54 – young Olivia Pratt-Korbel isn’t included because the list only includes the over 16s.

They were women with names like Ashley and Mykayla, and they were daughters, sisters, mothers and friends.

And their lives were cut short and the trauma of that will be felt by dozens and dozens of people.

 

 

WE are acutely aware that these vigils are not making a substantial difference to this issue – but they are raising awareness and we are going to continue with them.

 

WE would like to ask you all to help us raise awareness around this issue in whatever way you can.

 

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

 

Similarly follow Karen and Counting Dead Women. Re-tweet and re-post.

 

Write to your local MP and local councillor.

 

Write to our new Prime Minister because I don’t think her being a woman is going to make any difference to the Government’s attitude to this.

 

Please

Be outraged and angry – ask what would happen if 3 men were being murdered by women each week.

 

Thank you.