Supporting women in our community and opposing gender-based violence

Sasha Roseneil, UCL's Pro Vice-Provost (Equity and Inclusion), writes about gendered violence in our society and highlights resources and support for UCL staff and students who have been affected by the events of the last week. In recent days, the death of Sarah Everard has brought the issue of violence against women forcefully back into public consciousness, igniting a range of emotions for all those who have experienced gender-based violence, or who fear it - which is probably more than half the population. Much as when the #metoo movement began back in 2017, national conversations can resurface disturbing memories and realisations, and can disrupt our equilibrium and well-being. There is good reason to be concerned. A survey for UN Women UK found that 70% of women in the UK, and 97% of women aged 18-24, have been sexually harassed in public, with the vast majority not reporting it because they believed that reporting would not change anything. As the Everyday Sexism Project details, street harassment and misogyny are rife in the day-to-day lives of women. And at the extreme end of violence against women ONS data shows that a third of women who are killed each year are the victims of their partner or ex-partner (compared with 1% of male victims of homicide).