Words by Tori Halman
Sarah Everard's killing has led to an outpouring of emotion and anger, prompting long-overdue conversations around the culture of fear, harassment, violence and abuse that women are forced to endure as part of daily life.
As the horrific story unravelled, women were united through their own fears for safety and their battle cries for change.
Many attended public vigils and laid candles outside of their homes, joining together in mourning Sarah and sharing their own experiences to highlight just how frequently they occur and how rarely they are taken seriously.
There's no denying Sarah's death has sparked a moment in history and a nation's soul-searching. Women are enraged and exhausted as they fight to feel safe on the streets and abolish a long-accepted reality of fear.
Tyla spoke to three women who attended Sarah Everard vigils in the UK. They explain what it means to them, why it's important and what they hope the future holds for women's safety.
Seun, 31, from London
The news of Sarah's disappearance and her death hit me very hard. As a woman, whenever I go out I'm always thinking of the worst that could happen.
I went to pay my respects to Sarah, her family and friends. To raise awareness and bring about change as safety is something that all women struggle with. I was thinking of myself and all the women in my life who have suffered and constantly feel fear.
Pre-lockdown, if I went to a house party I would be careful about coming home by myself when it was late. Women are vigilant from the moment we go outside our door. We text our friends when we're going out or coming home. It's a mindset we have every single day.
Sarah took precautions to make sure that she arrived home safely and the fact it still happened is heartbreaking. Women should be free to live our lives outside of our home without the constant worry.
I'm hoping that behaviour in some men will change, it needs to. Women are already vigilant, how much more vigilant do we have to be? There's only so much we can do to make sure we're protected.
Ellie, 20, from Leeds
I wasn't going to go at first because I was so anxious. It's a long walk to where the vigil was being held and I didn't want to go by myself.
All the reasons why I was worried about going alone, the fear I have to leave my own house, was also why I felt compelled to go. Not just for Sarah, but for all of the women who have suffered.
I live near an alleyway in Leeds which is a hot-spot for sexual assault. Once, I walked past a group of men - the way they moved around me and looked at me made me want to turn around and run for my life.
Walking down the street I've had men honk at me, look at me strangely or shouts through a car window. It can be multiple times on the same walk.
If I'm walking home as the sun's going down, I'll speed up to get back before dark. I used to love running, but now I'm scared to go out by myself.
During a minute's silence at the vigil my best friend reached out and grabbed my hand. It was such a heartbreaking moment, but everyone coming together was so powerful.
Afterwards, I walked home in silence with her, absorbing everything that had happened.
I hope that people keep fighting for change. It's time to educate men that it's not OK. This isn't an innate behaviour, it's taught and accepted in some scenarios - that's where the real change needs to begin.
Zoe, 24, from London
It was important to me as it felt like a moment in history. I laid flowers, lit a candle and got quite upset as there were women becoming tearful around me. It was incredibly emotional and moving - I felt drained by it all.
Every woman has their own personal experience. We have come such a long way in many things, but the fear we carry with us, that we're taught to have at such a young age, has never been challenged as being unfair. There was a repressed, unspoken aspect of society that was brought to the forefront by all this.
Horrible incidents like Sarah's make it all flood back - all the emotions that were bottled throughout those experiences in your life and how unfair it all is. I've been on holidays before where a man has smacked my bum and you have to laugh it off because if you get angry or shout at them it's deemed inappropriate, or that you're overreacting.
Sarah's story struck a chord with women, creating an extreme degree of empathy that everyone felt towards her.
Over the last week, we've all imagined what she must have been going through. We've all, at some point, felt an ounce of the fear that Sarah must have felt in that moment which is why it was so awful and overwhelming.
Featured Image Credit: Supplied