The month of March rang in National Women’s History month in the U.S. While celebrations were rampant over social media, the salutations were soon cut short with the tragic, vile news regarding 33-year-old Sarah Everard, a marketing executive from South London. 

Walking home from a friend’s house on the night of March 3, Everard was kidnapped and killed by 48-year-old Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens. This incident left the city of London and the rest of the world in shock and disarray. 

A vigil held in honor of Everard’s memory was conducted on March 13 in Clapham Common, attracting hundreds of mourners and individuals who came to pay their respects, including the Duchess of Cambridge, Catherine Middleton. Despite the good intentions, this vigil was met with police conflict, as it reportedly broke the COVID-19 guidelines set in place. 

The celebratory posts that were shared just two days prior were replaced with words of advice against attackers, products that could be used in self-defense and strategic maneuvers that could be made to avoid an attacker. Women everywhere were quickly reminded of the dangers that surround their very existence.

As progressive a state that the world likes to believe that it is in, a world where women can be political leaders, doctors, lawyers and just about anything that you could imagine, it is a harsh reality to face when you realize that women are afraid to walk home alone at night. 

This should not be the case. 

Women should not have to hold their keys between their fingers, buy pepper spray and rape whistles, learn defensive maneuvers or simply fear for their lives whenever they leave their homes. 

As a woman-identifying student living on a college campus, it is not unusual for me to call a male friend to walk me back to my dorm late at night. It is second nature for me to hold my keys between my fingers if I do end up being alone. I walk faster depending on how well lit an area is or if I see someone else approaching. 

This is my reality. 

While I have been fortunate enough to not go through anything close to Everard’s fate, the knowledge that I could is enough to instill fear. 

No woman, no person, should have to fear for their existence when they leave their home. The harshest of realities have been realized in the beginning of a month meant to celebrate the accomplishments and contributions women have made globally. 

It is time for women to stop having to live in fear. It is time for a conversation to be had. It is time to educate and take responsibility. Everard deserved more, the least we can do is fight for others like her.

Photo from Flickr