Page 14 - Town & Around - November 2021

14 Town & Around November 2021 Tel: 01485 540620 email: editor@townandaround.net
#Walk with Women

Jenny Beake
he poignant timing of the Pandora
Project's exhibition showing imagery
Tof life after domestic abuse, captured
by Fakenham-based artist Keith Osborn was
noted by many who attended the event at St
Nicholas church in King’s Lynn..
Its opening launch has coincided with the
sentencing of Sarah Everard's murderer,
bringing the realities of violence against
women and girls to the forefront of national
conscience.
Councillor Jo Rust led an early evening
march in solidarity with the #walkwithwomen
and #reclaimthesestreets campaigns, who
gathered outside St Nicholas Chapel in Lynn
where the exhibition is taking place.
The group of 10 men and women and
children held placards saying 'for Sarah The blame on the victim is misplaced when of what we do and improving services.
Everard and everyone, finish the walk' and 'all many women may have to walk from a bus or "Tackling violence against women and girls
we are left with is dead women and rage.' train station late at night returning from work. is a priority area for the force and we are
Jo Rust is an advocate for leading peaceful Whatever the reason might be, as seen in already working on improved training for
protests often being the figurehead for them the case of Sarah Everard who was walking officers around areas such as high-quality
in King’s Lynn. home, in the dark and 9pm before she was investigations, addressing perpetrator
She was involved in the QEH petition in abducted and murdered, it is the perpetrator at behaviour and education on new offences
King’s Lynn town centre and at Westminster fault. such as coercive control.
and also #Stand up to racism alongside Positive change is happening in relation to “We also continue to work alongside our
secretary Norma King. making areas safer for girls and women who partner agencies to understand areas in the
Though it is with regret that a member of have every right to walk freely and without county where people may not feel safe.
the Norfolk police force is under investigation fear, whatever the time of day. "A recent example of this is the pilot launch
for the misogynistic WhatsApp group The Lynn-based Pandora Project's of the StreetSafe online database. This was
messages that have been unearthed during the September campaign Paint it Purple created by the Home Office and the Police
murder investigation of Sarah Everard, highlights awareness about violence against Digital Service (Police.uk) and enables
positive moves are being made by West women and their poll suggests that still a lot women and girls to anonymously report areas
Norfolk police to ensure the safety of women of women do not feel safe. they feel are unsafe and why.
and girls is being prioritised. A database has been introduced to “This information will be used by policing
A Street Safe database to help West Norfolk specifically tackle safety issues for women in partnership with other stakeholders to
women feel more protected has been devised. and girls. deliver improved wellbeing and safety for
Being in the wrong place at the wrong time Detective Superintendent Andy Coller, communities, especially for women and
is often a phrase heard if a woman is attacked head of safeguarding, said: “In Norfolk, we girls.”
late at night if she is walking home. are committed to putting victims at the heart

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