Sarah Everard 'Walk for Them' event being held in Clapham to mark first anniversary of disappearance
An event is being held in the capital tonight to mark the first anniversary of Sarah Everard's disappearance, and pay tribute to missing and murdered women.
The 'Walk For Them' event is planned for 7pm Thursday in Clapham, south London, where members of the public have been laying flowers today in her memory.
People who wish to attend are being urged to meet at Clapham North tube station, before walking to Clapham Common Bandstand for a minute of silence and speeches.
Event organisers wrote on Facebook that the walk, held by Urban Angels, was being held to "commemorate all the victims of gendered violence and will be a chance for us all to stand in solidarity and show that we both demand and support change."They added: "We hope "Walk for Them" will highlight the need for making a positive cultural change, to target the root causes for the many tragic incidents that still occur on the streets."
Ms Everard was kidnapped from the streets of Clapham by serving Met Police officer Wayne Couzens and murdered year ago.
He abused his knowledge of Covid lockdown rules to falsely arrest the 33-year-old, bundle her into his car, before raping and killing her and dumping her body in Kent woodland.
Ms Everard's family today issued a moving statement in tribute to her saying they "miss her all the time", and urged remembrance of other women who have lost their lives to violence.
“Sadly, Sarah is not the only woman to have lost her life recently in violent circumstances and we would like to extend our deepest sympathy to other families who are also grieving,” their family statement read.
Couzens was handed a whole-life term in September.
A non-statutory inquiry has since been launched – led by Dame Elish Angiolini – who is looking at how Couzens was able to work as a police officer for three different forces despite concerns about his behaviour.
Following this, there are plans for a second part that would look at wider issues in policing.
The Met has also commissioned its own review of the culture and standards at the force, including Couzens’ former unit – the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command.
Recent years have brought a string of high-profile murders of women in the capital and elsewhere.
London primary school teacher Sabina Nessa's murderer admitted killing her in September.
Koci Selamaj, 36, travelled from Eastbourne to Kidbrooke to prowl for lone women.
He ambushed and killed the 28-year-old as she set off through Cator Park, near her home, to meet a friend in a nearby pub.
Ms Nessa's murder heightened concern for the safety of women and girls in the capital following the stranger murders of Miss Everard, and sisters Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman, who were stabbed to death in a random attack in Fryent Country Park, north London.
In another case, labourer Valentin Lazar, 21, was jailed for life for beating 45-year-old Maria Rawlings to death after a chance meeting on a bus in Romford, east London, last May.