LJMU Women’s Rugby Union: 1000 miles for 100% safety for Women

As it stands, virtually all young women in the UK have been sexually harassed according to a survey. This percentage applies to women aged between 18 and 24. 97% said they’d been sexually harassed. 80% of women of all ages said they’d experienced sexual harassment whilst in public spaces.

It’s become so normalised for women to go through catcalling, groping, stalking etc, on a daily basis and for nothing to be done about it. It’s the normalisation of the idea that a woman in a public space such as a street or bar is simply vulnerable to being verbally or physically assaulted. It has become all too routine to hear “text me as soon as you get there,” “don’t walk home alone,” “you can’t wear that, you’ll draw attention to yourself.”

On March 3rd, Sarah Everard left a friend’s house in Clapham at around 9pm. She was last seen around 9:30 on CCTV, walking alone. Her disappearance sparked major concern as it was not in her character to be out of contact with her friends and family. Three days she was listed as a missing person and posters went up for her disappearance. On March 9th, a police officer was arrested in connection with Everard’s disappearance. The very next day, the officer named Wayne Couzens was confirmed to be Sarah’s kidnapper and killer. Sarah’s remains were found hidden in the woods.

As a group of young women ourselves we understand how normalised this has all become, having experienced many of these problems ourselves and want to make a stand for women’s safety. Throughout April as a team, LJMU Women’s Rugby Union will be walking, running, and cycling 1000 miles to represent the right for 100% of women to feel safe and valued. The charities we will be fundraising for are Girls Out Loud and Liverpool Domestic Abuse Service. Girls Out Loud provide amazing services and programmes to help inspire girls to raise their aspirations and ‘reach for the stars’; they provide mentoring and workshops to help struggling girls transform into role models and are all about celebrating their achievements.

The Liverpool Domestic Abuse Service does incredible work aiming to ‘Protect, Support and Empower women and girls who suffer from domestic abuse, to live safe independent lives.’ They provide multiple lifeline services for women and girls in an array of situations despite the pandemic, and need help now more than ever as the rate of domestic abuse towards women has increased during the Coronavirus.

Furthermore, any extra donations are being put towards creating help packages for local women’s shelters around Liverpool and providing sanitary products for any local schools in need, to help reduce period poverty. Any donation is massively appreciated and we thank you for helping LJMU Women’s Rugby Union support these amazing causes.