Refuge responds to High Court ruling that Met Police breached rights of organisers of Sarah Everard vigil
Interviews available on request. Please contact the Press Office on 0207 395 7731 or email press@refuge.org.uk
Refuge responds to High Court ruling that the Met Police breached rights of organisers of Sarah Everard vigil
Kim Manning-Cooper, Head of Communications at Refuge, said:
“The vigil for Sarah Everard was a way for women to come together and express their horror at her murder at the hands of a serving police officer.
“But instead of allowing women to mourn her death, the Met police opted to silence women’s voices, declare the vigil unlawful, and pressure the organisers to cancel it. This is alongside the heavy handed approach they deployed with the women who went ahead and gathered.
“These actions were not only tone deaf, but as this ruling outlines, were an infringement upon women’s basic human rights. The Met should think very carefully about its decision on whether to appeal this ruling, and the message that this would send to women and girls all over the country.
“With women’s trust in the police at an all time low, the candidates to replace Cressida Dick as Met Commissioner must acknowledge the mistakes made and start the urgent work to rebuild this trust.
“The Met is an institution that is supposed to uphold the law and protect women and girls from violence and abuse, so it’s no wonder some women do not feel confident to report crimes committed against them with the Met’s track record.”
Ends
Notes to Editors
About Refuge
Refuge supports thousands of women and children on any given day, and runs the National Domestic Abuse Helpline, which is the gateway to accessing specialist support across the country. More than one in four women in England and Wales experiences domestic abuse at some point in their lifetime, and two women a week are killed by a current or former partner.
Please signpost to Refuge’s National Domestic Abuse Helpline 0808 2000 247, available 24 hours a day 7 days a week for free, confidential specialist support. Or visit www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk to fill in a webform and request a safe time to be contacted or to access live chat (live chat available 3pm-10pm, Monday to Friday). For real time automated guidance on how to secure your personal devices Refuge also has a Tech Safety Tool.
Visit Refuge’s Tech Safety Website at www.refugetechsafety.org for information on tech abuse and to find guidance on how to secure your personal and home devices. For real time automated support Refuge also has a Tech Safety Tool.