Speaking in an interview with FNA, Taylor said, “There is something quite perverse in within British justice where not only are women in danger from the very officers who are meant to protect them, but legislation from the government and the judiciary system means that even if you survive an attack of a physical or sexual nature, the statistics indicate your attacker is unlikely to do any prison time.”
Amina Taylor is a British broadcast journalist based in London. She formerly contributed to the Guardian, and hosted a radio show on BBC.
Below is the full text of the interview:
Q: How do you find the reaction by the UK police and the government to the case of Sarah Everard? Is the public satisfied with the official responses?
A: The governments reaction was a curious one because on one hand it was quite clear that Home Secretary Priti Patel was concerned enough by the murder of Sarah Everard to demand answers from the Met commissioner; but even with that in mind the government did very little to prevent some of them over policing and heavy-handed police reaction to the subsequent demonstrations ironically asking for better protection for women. Furthermore, Priti Patel in her capacity as Home Secretary, has been responsible for fewer numbers of police officers on the streets and Draconian measures to stop the assembly of people who object to these legislations. There is something quite perverse in within British justice where not only are women in danger from the very officers who are meant to protect them, but legislation from the government and the judiciary system means that even if you survive an attack of a physical or sexual nature, the statistics indicate your attacker is unlikely to do any prison time. Like many other women I feel that if this government truly wants to protect women they would ensure that the institutions that are in place to ‘protect and serve’ do their jobs, and women do not feel that ultimately whatever the platitudes from government ministers, they are responsible for their own security and safety.
Q: Even before Everard’s body was found, a wider public debate about the safety of women in Britain’s public spaces was underway. Why does the situation not appear to be improving?
A: Sarah Everard’s murder is tragically just the tip of the very dangerous iceberg for a lot of women. Not only are there issues surrounding physical safety getting home after a late shift the ability to keep yourself safe from people in your pair group as often those who put you in danger or actually those with whom you have at least a passing relationship. ultimately as I previously mentioned, the system in place to ensure that if something does happen to you then the individual or individuals responsible are held to account. The court system is over extended, police services have been reduced making their ability to fully offer not just protection before the attacks but the necessary follow-up and justice afterwards, increasingly difficult in a world of scarce resources.
There is of course also the feeling from some women, myself included, that it is just an extra tax on your person for being a woman. So at some point you expect to be in a situation that is dangerous and you may have to physically fight to get yourself out of that situation. Unfortunately, most of us live with that reality that it is not a matter of if, it is a matter of when and you discuss strategies for the best way to ensure you live to tell the tale.
Simple potential fixes are needed, like ensuring there is adequate street lighting in public spaces, or that regular public transportation runs so women are not reliant on being able to afford expensive taxis in order to keep themselves safe; the same as other issues like domestic violence ensuring that victims have the necessary support before tragedy strikes instead of official platitudes after. The judicial system needs to be overhauled so those who do tragically end up being victims can get the justice they deserve, no more empty promises of ‘never again.’
Q: What does it take to prevent cases such as Sarah Everard’s?
A: There is a finite amount of money to go round to throw at all of these initiatives and no one is disputing the fact that even in a rich country like Britain, tough decisions have to be made about what gets spent where but it starts with the official will of the government to make women’s safety a priority.
The Home Office has the ability to demand root and branch changes from the police in terms of not just how they deliver their service to women and others who might be vulnerable, but to be completely transparent in how they deal with officers within the ranks who fall below those standards and who end up being a part of the problem. Why would women who have suffered any kind of breaches to their safety or feel threatened even think of reporting it to the authorities if they feel not only can they be complicit there is very little chance of anything coming of the complaints in the long run so why bother. As women we also sadly have to take personal safety very important and put your security first. As I tell my female friends, my sisters, remind my mother, my nieces, my goddaughters, if you are in a position where you feel your safety is being compromised leave, call a friend, jump in a cab, scream, shout, make a fuss, do not let being polite cost you your safety. And it is worth reminding our male friends the overwhelming majority who value and support their female family members and friends to truly be an ally to us, do not let the very small minority get away with poor behaviour. If you witness your friend acting like a potential predator, you have a responsibility to call him out and if necessary report him. It takes a village to raise a child they say but it takes an entire community to keep all their women safe.
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