‘All women should feel safe to walk on our streets’: Horsham woman urges people to join doorstep vigil for Sarah Everard

A Horsham woman is urging people to join a doorstep vigil to show solidarity following the death of Sarah Everard.
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Human remains found in Kent have been confirmed as belonging to Sarah after she disappeared from London last week, the Met Police said. A Metropolitan Police officer who was arrested on suspicion of Sarah’s murder remains in custody.

Sarah’s family have described her as a ‘shining example’ who was ‘kind and strong’.

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And now Donna McLean, 46, is urging people to light a candle and stand on their doorstep this Saturday, March 13, as a show of solidarity with women and victims.

Sarah EverardSarah Everard
Sarah Everard

The senior caseworker for 1VAA, an agency which supports victims of abuse, said: “All women should feel safe to walk on our streets.

“If males feel comfortable walking along our streets then in this day and age so should females. It should work both ways.”

Donna also shared tips which she hopes could help people step in if they see a victim of abuse. She said a helper should try and make eye contact first and offer a thumbs up to see if the victim is okay.

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She said: “If you can see things are escalating just move towards them gently. Maybe try again with smiling.

“I would engage and say ‘is everything okay?’

“At that point most perpetrators run off.

“There will never be any harm in approaching that situation gently but not walking away.”

The vigil, held for anyone who cannot make one of the in person events, will be held on March 13 at 6pm.

People are being urged to light a candle on their doorstep or in their window.