On March 3, 2021, 33-year-old female Sarah Everard was walking home from a friend’s house in south London when she was kidnapped and killed. Days later, policeman Wayne Couzens was charged with her death. Since then, the tragic death of Everard has sparked a call for action against gender-based violence around the world, and has caused many women to speak up about their own experiences.

Following the shock of Everard’s death, some friends and I engaged in a thoughtful conversation about what we do to feel safe against danger at night. We all mentioned the same behaviors: checking the car’s backseat and underneath our cars, immediately locking our car doors when we get in, and always walking with at least one other person. Sexual violence that targets women had caused us to take these precautions in order to feel safe from harm in general, but especially when it is darker outside.

Sadly, gender-based harm against women like Everard happens far too often. A recent study found that 97% of women aged 18-24 in the UK have experienced some form of sexual harassment, and 70% of women of all ages have as well. Things like physical assault and catcalling contribute to these statistics, and unfortunately are nothing new. 

In 2006, Tarana Burke founded the Me Too Movement, an organization that focuses on bringing resources and support for healing from past traumatic experiences of gender-based violence that had never previously existed. In 2017, the #metoo hashtag went viral on social media platforms, acting as a wake-up call to the world about the pervasiveness of sexual violence in our society. It opened the world’s eyes to a universal obstacle that has existed for years.

The Me Too movement is a safe way to build a strong community of people, and for women of all backgrounds to realize that they are not alone.  As women, we must build each other up. Everyone should support women by simply being polite and respecting our privacy since by doing so, women such as myself could feel more comfortable in public places especially when we are alone. Under the umbrella of politeness, there are the actions of refraining from catcalling or saying anything that could be interpreted as offensive or could make a woman uncomfortable. 

There are more steps people can take to build a stronger community and decrease the amount of gender-based harm in our society. For example, raising awareness through social media platforms such as Instagram, and simply respecting one another. People should listen to the stories of victims if they choose to share, and show respect if they don’t. But above all, we have to educate men on consent. Lack of education limits progress in bettering our world.

We must diminish the stigma around discussing the harsh reality in which gender-based violence still occurs on a daily basis. It is utterly sad that women are targeted everywhere in public, from walking downtown to going shopping. It is our responsibility to spread awareness, because this issue will not end until enough people are informed. We must support and advocate for our sisters, mothers, friends, even strangers. Only then will change prevail.