© Getty ImagesBaroness Jenny Jones, British Green Party member, said a curfew for men would help keep women safer
All men should abide by a 6pm curfew to make women feel safer on the streets after the tragic death of Sarah Everard, a Green Party peer has suggested.
Baroness Jones, who sits in the House of Lords, said in a debate on domestic violence that it could help cut down cases of discrimination too.
It comes after human remains were found last night in the case of Sarah Everard, who went missing after leaving a friends' house in Clapham last week.
Cops haven't yet confirmed it is her, but a serving Met Police cop has been arrested over her kidnap and murder.
Speaking in the House of Lords last night Baroness Evans said: "In the week that Sarah Everard was abducted and, we suppose, killed — because remains have been found in a woodland in Kent — I argue that, at the next opportunity for any Bill that is appropriate, I might put in an amendment to create a curfew for men on the streets after 6pm.
"I feel this would make women a lot safer, and discrimination of all kinds would be lessened."
She later admitted it wouldn't be a feasible idea in practise - but wanted to highlight it shouldn't be women who should be having to change their behaviour.
© Press AssociationThis is the last sighting of Sarah Everard on CCTV at around 9.30pm, March 3, 2021
Caroline Nokes, Tory MP and Chair of the Women and Equalities Committee also said it was a mad suggestion.
She told The Sun:
"You can't go around slapping curfews on one gender. Any solution to the real fear that women feel is going to have to be a lot more complex than that. "Its a bonkers suggestion - but it has got us all talking about what practical steps men can take to make women feel safer."Even the Women's Equality Party said it might not work.
Mandu Reid, Leader of the party said last night: "After a year of lockdowns, the last thing we need is more reasons to stop people going out.
"That's why politicians and police should step up and take responsibility for making sure women can leave their homes free from the fear of violence. It's about making ending violence against women a priority."
Baroness Jones went on to back a cross-party bid to make misogyny and hatred against women a specific hate crime.
Baroness Jones said:
"If anyone is being advised to stay at home it should be men, not women.An amendment to the Domestic Abuse Bill - due to be debated in Parliament on Monday - would require all police forces in England and Wales to record where existing crimes have been motivated by hatred of someone's sex or gender.
"This kind of murder is rare, but very scary. What is far more regular are the sexual assaults, threats, intimidation, cat calling and rude remarks that women face every day.
"If the police did their job this misogynistic culture wouldn't thrive the way it has. Men wouldn't assume that they could get away with it. The police have failed on rape and sexual assault for years. They have mostly failed on domestic abuse. There needs to be some serious action at the Met to turn this around and give women the protection they deserve.
"We need to make misogyny a hate crime, as that would get the root of many of these other crimes."
Sarah vanished last week as she walked home from a friend's house in Clapham, South West London - and hasn't been seen since.
She left there around 9pm, phoned her boyfriend on the way, but is believed never to have arrived home.
© South West News ServiceWayne Couzens, a serving Met police officer, has been arrested in connection with Sarah Everard's murder
The 48-year-old father-of-two is a Met Police armed diplomatic protection officer stationed in Westminster. His work saw him provide protection at major public events attended by senior members of the Royal Family.
The Metropolitan Police last night confirmed human remains have been found in Ashford, Kent, but said they had not yet been identified.
It is 30 miles from the Deal home where Met Police gun cop was arrested on Tuesday night on suspicion of Sarah's kidnap. It's not believed the pair knew each other beforehand.
One line of inquiry is that he may have lured Sarah into his vehicle out of view of CCTV cameras.
It comes after thousands of women have taken to social media to share stories about how they too don't feel safe on Britain's streets.
A vigil is being held in Clapham, South London, at the weekend, for women to "take back control" of the streets, amid an outpouring of fear and emotion. The head of the Metropolitan Police Cressida Dick tried to reassure women last night it was still safe, but admitted people would be scared.
Shesaid: "I know Londoners will want to know that it is thankfully incredibly rare for a woman to be abducted from our streets.
"But I completely understand that despite this, women in London and the wider public - particularly those in the area where Sarah went missing - will be worried and may well be feeling scared."
© The Sun
She said: "I am deeply saddened by the developments in the Sarah Everard investigation. My heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with Sarah, her family and friends at this unbearable time.
"Many women have shared their stories and concerns online since Sarah's disappearance last week. These are so powerful because each and every woman can relate. Every woman should feel safe to walk on our streets without fear of harassment or violence."
Mayor Sadiq Khan says London's streets are not safe for women or girls after horrific story of Sarah Everard
Pardon the old redneck chauvinism but what she likely needs is . . .
R.C.
*Pun intended.
RC