“Men, we have a role to play.”
Marcus Rashford has called on men to play their role in protecting women following the tragic death of Sarah Everard.
Everard was abducted last Wednesday while walking home through Clapham at 9pm. Human remains found in Kent on the search for her have now been identified as Sarah Everard, confirming her tragic death at the age of 33.
A serving Met Police officer is currently under arrest under suspicion of her murder.
The case has sparked discussions around the staggeringly statistics around sexual assault, with a recent survey revealing that 97 per cent of women between 18-24 have been sexually harassed at some point in their life.
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But the onus is not on women to educate men about how to appear less threatening. It is on men to educate themselves on how to adjust their own behaviour and recognise it in others, and most importantly, call it out to prevent more deaths like this from happening.
Marcus Rashford, who has not shied away from divisive discussions over the past year, spearheading a campaign to ensure every schoolchild in Britain is adequately fed, has responded to the news of Everard’s death by acknowledging exactly this: it’s on us.
“This is just heartbreaking, I’m so sorry,” he tweeted.
“This should have never happened. Men we have a role to play. To listen, to protect, and to allow women to feel safe at whatever time of day. I have sisters, nieces… just horrible. I’m sending my love to Sarah’s family.”
This is just heartbreaking, I’m so sorry. This should have never happened. Men we have a role to play. To listen, to protect, and to allow women to feel safe at whatever time of day. I have sisters, nieces…just horrible. I’m sending my love to Sarah’s family ♥️ https://t.co/4YHhaCm01q
— Marcus Rashford (@MarcusRashford) March 12, 2021
Followers were pleased to see such a high profile make this case, with one Twitter user writing: “We need more male role models like Marcus doing exactly this… speaking up and speaking out.”
Talk to your boys when you see them acting in an intrusive way towards women. Be aware of your own behaviour when walking at night. Keep your distance. It’s time to look at ourselves.
