Sarah Everard, a young 33-year-old woman, who friends described as someone of warmth and empathy, was tragically taken too soon on the evening of March 3 in London where she vanished. Police confirmed her death last week and have arrested a police officer who is being charged for her death. 

Everard took every precaution on her walk home. She wore brighter clothing, took a longer well-lit route populated with other people, and called her boyfriend to inform him about her whereabouts. Sadly, this was not enough to save her life and Everard never made it home that night. 

Everard’s family issued a statement through the police and The New York Times wrote, “She always put others first and had the most amazing sense of humor. She was strong and principled and a shining example to us all.” Friends described her as “Sunshine” and someone who “made you feel warm inside.” 

Unfortunately, this bright, amazing, young woman was taken too soon by someone who swore to protect innocent people like Sarah Everard. If a member of law enforcement could commit a crime as horrible as this, who can the public really trust?

A recent study conducted by a YouGov survey collected data from 1,000 women in the U.K. The women ranged from ages 18 to 24 and 97 percent of them have experienced sexual harassment.  

Everard’s death set off a movement across the world, fighting to end violence against women. At Everard’s makeshift memorial in London, police officers trashed the flowers and tackled the women to the ground. 

Many were planning on mourning the young woman by taking to the streets to protest on Saturday night. However, London’s police, nicknamed “The Met,” quickly shut it down before it happened to claim that it would be a violation of lockdown restrictions. This caused many to feel angry and upset because the public felt that the police were trying to silence them. 

A huge group ignored the warning and gathered together to have a vigil. Hundreds there chanted, “The police said we can’t have a vigil to remember Sarah Everard. The police have the nerve to threaten us. The police have the nerve to intimidate us. We. Say. No.” Those who showed up were not only paying their condolences to Sarah Everard but were also fighting to have more protection for women. 

In response to Everard’s death Jenny Jones, a baroness and Green Party peer, proposed a 6 p.m. curfew for men. Jones told Britain’s Sky News, “Nobody makes a fuss when, for example, the police suggest women stay home. But when I suggest it, men are up in arms.”