"Women Urged to Avoid Late-Night Outings" vs. "Let's Impose Curfews on Men"... Protest Atmosphere in UK Over Death of Woman in Her 30s

Flyer searching for missing Everard / Photo by The Sun, UK capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Eun-young] A woman in her 30s returning home in London, UK, was kidnapped and murdered by the police. English-speaking women who learned of the incident expressed anger, saying, "An unsafe society put her in danger."

On the 13th (local time), foreign media reported that English-speaking women are outraged over the disappearance case of Sarah Everard (33), a marketing professional in the UK.

Everard disappeared on the night of the 3rd after visiting a friend's house in Clapham, South London, while returning home. Her body was found on the 10th in a forest near Kent in the east, about 80 km from the last place she was seen. The police arrested suspect Wayne Couzens (48) on kidnapping charges and later added murder charges. The suspect Couzens was confirmed to be a police officer responsible for guarding government buildings, Parliament, and diplomatic facilities. The fact that the suspect was none other than a London police officer plunged British society into greater fear.

British women shared Everard's case on social media and posted their experiences of being attacked or threatened while walking alone. They posted messages such as "When will we be able to walk without fear?" and "When will it be safe for women to go home alone late at night?" expressing the 'everyday fear' women face.

Protest slogan '#shewaswalkinghome' written in chalk on the street.
Photo by The Sun, UK

Netizens shared the hashtag '#shewaswalkinghome' to commemorate Everard. Women held rallies demanding social safety for women, saying, "The reason women cannot walk alone at night is because society is not safe."

As the movement to commemorate Everard and women's voices grew louder, some police advised women not to go out alone at night. Some even argued that women returning home late at night were partly at fault. In response, women expressed greater anger, saying, "Is it normal for society to be unsafe even when walking alone at night?" Eventually, a member of Parliament proposed limiting men's curfew to 6 p.m.

Jenny Jones, a member of the UK Green Party, argued in a House of Lords debate that "a 6 p.m. curfew should be imposed on men in London streets to make women safer," which sparked backlash. Citizens were outraged, saying, "Are you trying to discriminate against men under the pretext of protecting women?" Jones explained, "It was just a countermeasure against calls for women to refrain from going out alone late at night," adding, "It is common for women to be kidnapped on city streets like Everard," but the controversy has not subsided.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.