As we end this week following the sentencing of Wayne Couzens there’s an atmosphere of disappointment. Whether it’s the parliamentary comments or the responses from North Yorkshire's Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner (PFCC) Phillip Allott regarding Sarah’s ‘submission’ to her bogus arrest.
We have all read the statement from her mother and the emotion behind this feels unbearable but what does this mean for you and I? The initial word that is on my lips is sensitivity, this is a triggering time for many, according to the data 1 in 5 women have experienced a sexual assault so there needs to be an awareness that those we encounter daily may be going through something right now. But to me the real issue and the one that has felt most concerning is the revelation of the WhatsApp group that Couzens and his, still working colleagues communicated through. The content of which was described as misogynistic and racist. If there is anything we need to be considering on a deeper level it’s phobic behaviours and labelled ‘harmless’ communications in the workplace. We need to be creating an environment where people feel capable of standing up and saying this is not ok, without being accused of sensitivity. A workplace where the misogynist feels disempowered and as an organisation there’s the backing to commit to organisational change without the fear of being called difficult. This practical solution is how those affected by this tragic case can feel supported and heard, this forward thinking change is how there is a small grain of meaning in the tragic death if Sarah Everard. Tackling age-old misogyny must start in the classroom.