MPs across Party call on Prime Minister to act on women's safety in public spaces, start a national conversation
A group of cross-party MPs led by Wera Hobhouse MP, Liberal Democrats Spokesperson for Women and Equalities, has written to the Prime Minister to express their concerns about the safety of women and girls in public spaces following the death of Sarah Everard. In recent days, there has been an outpouring on social media from women and girls sharing their own experiences.
The letter states:
"As a group of public representatives, we have heard countless stories over the past week about sexual harassment, violence against women and girls, and assault in public spaces. For many of us these stories are sadly not surprising, having experienced similar situations throughout our lives."
It concludes:
"As Prime Minister we are calling on you to start a national conversation asking everyone - not only women - to think about what they can do to make our public spaces safer. For too long, the conversation has been confined to women's behaviour. It is time to change that narrative. We will only end public sexual harassment by calling it out in all its forms.
"Millions of women and girls, across the UK, are living with a constant state of fear and anxiety when in public. It is time for change."
The full letter and list of signatories is below.
15th March 2020
Dear Prime Minister,
We are writing to you to express our deep concerns about the threat that women experience in public spaces. As a group of public representatives, we have heard countless stories over the past week about sexual harassment, violence against women and girls, and assault in public spaces. For many of us these stories are sadly not surprising, having experienced similar situations throughout our lives.
Research from UN Women, released earlier this week, shows that 97% of women aged 18-24 have been sexually harassed, whilst 80% of women of all ages said they had experienced sexual harassment in public. Furthermore, a YouGov survey suggests that 96% of women do not report incidents to the authorities. 45% said it would not change anything.
As this research so powerfully illustrates, although not all men are perpetrators, almost all women are survivors of this type of incident.
As Prime Minister we are calling on you to start a national conversation asking everyone - not only women - to think about what they can do to make our public spaces safer. For too long, the conversation has been confined to women's behaviour. It is time to change that narrative. We will only end public sexual harassment by calling it out in all its forms.
Millions of women and girls, across the UK, are living with a constant state of fear and anxiety when in public. It is time for change.
Yours sincerely,
Wera Hobhouse, Member of Parliament for Bath, Liberal Democrats Spokesperson for Women and Equalities
PLUS
Tonia Antoniazzi MP
Paula Barker MP
Steven Bonnar MP
Ian Byrne MP
Rt Hon Alistair Carmichael MP
Wendy Chamberlain MP
Daisy Cooper MP
Rt Hon Sir Ed Davey MP
Geraint Davies MP
Allan Dorans MP
Tim Farron MP
Dr Stephen Farry MP
Marion Fellows MP
Andrew Gwynne MP
Claire Hanna MP
Rt Hon Dame Margaret Hodge MP
Rachel Hopkins MP
Christine Jardine MP
Kim Johnson MP
Barbara Keeley MP
Ben Lake MP
Clive Lewis MP
Rebecca Long-Bailey MP
Siobhain McDonagh MP
Navendu Mishra MP
Gavin Newlands MP
Layla Moran MP
Brendan O'Hara MP
Sarah Olney MP
Kate Osborne MP
Ian Paisley MP
Liz Saville-Roberts MP
Virendra Sharma MP
Tommy Sheppard MP
Jamie Stone MP
Claudia Webbe MP
Dr Philippa Whitford MP
Mick Whitley MP