What's changed in Suffolk, a year on from Sarah Everards disappearance?
We spoke to the Suffolk Police and 'Reclaim the Night' volunteers to see what has changed.
Last updated 3rd Mar 2022
Sarah Everard disappeared a year ago today.
The case caused massive concern for women all around the country and sparked protests and discussion about women's safety.
When it was discovered that a police officer was responsible for her death many people lost faith in those who swore to protect.
Social media was flooded with calls for change.
A year on, we looked to see if any progress had been made.
We spoke to Volunteer Co-ordinator of 'Reclaim the Night' in Suffolk, Isabelle Booth, to get her perspective: "Reclaim the night is run by us here at Suffolk Rape Crisis. It's an annual campaigning event where we raise awareness of violence against women and girls. And for us, specifically conversations around sexual violence.
"And so we use the time to raise awareness of women, safety of things around victim blaming and and also encourage women to seek support if they feel that they need it and and really come together as a collective, to have our voices heard."
The Suffolk Rape crisis provides various kinds of support through.
Isabelle added: "A variety of services available, traditional counselling service, we also have our outreach support for practical support needs and then a variety of online groups. We have a well being group, a coffee morning, and there are incredible empowerment course.
"So we really have a lot of options for women in Suffolk and if people do feel like they need support, they can just pop to our website and get in contact with us through there"
As well as working directly with those affected, they also "ensure that we're speaking with different agencies, different charities, and partner organizations to make sure that they are supporting women in the best way possible too."
Isabelle told us more about the impact Sarah Everards case had, and continues to have: "I think the Sarah Everard's case was really one of the first times that we saw sexual violence and violence against women and girls. And the conversation around that and become incredibly mainstream.
"And it's heart breaking and disappointing that it it took an event like that. And unfortunately for the conversation to be started.
"But we did start to see a shift in people identifying victim blaming language in people, recognizing some of their own experiences as inappropriate and ultimately sexual violence.
"And so I think for us, we did see a lot of women, really feel that they needed support as well through that period.
"But also we saw people speaking out and taking action in a way that we possibly hadn't before and and that was that was actually something really positive. And if we can say that to come out of that."
Although we are seeing changes, we asked Isabelle, what more can we do?
"I think there can always be more done, you know, and I think that starting a conversation around sexual violence is is really great. And it's really important.
"But without continued commitment from, the government, from the police, from local councils."
Although there are still many ways in which we as a society can change, Isabelle is hopeful.
"However, if we think about maybe some shifts in in attitudes in society, we have seen a little shift and and often with things like this, when you're campaigning tirelessly on a topic, you know we have to take those small wins as well. You know we've reached some people when changed their mind around some things as well."
We also asked if they had seen a shift in peoples opinion of the police: "So we work, we work quite closely with the police in terms of..encouraging them to think about their messaging and campaigning, the language that they use.
"But it's always an ongoing conversation. They come from a very different place and from us
"But... there is always a starting point and we try our best to kind of work alongside them. Around raising awareness of sexual violence. So they can also increase their understanding so they can better support."
We also spoke to Assistant Chief Constable Rob Jones from the Suffolk Police to get their perspective on the matter: "When the news came through about what had happened, we just felt horror and disgust that police colleague had behaved in that way and it was. It was actually shocking.
"And and we couldn't understand how that situation could have happened.
"It's everything against what we stand for in policing and and and what we do and.
"And although it happened in London, we we really felt as part of UK policing that that this was a horrific thing and and and particularly for Sarah's family."
We asked how things changed as a result: "It has meant we have to really look at our own attitudes and behaviour to make sure they're as good as they can be in Suffolk.
"We've got really high expectations of people when they join and and we thought we were doing everything we could.To to make it clear that those are the standards people expect."
"One of the things that has changed really positively in the last year is that about half of the new people joining the Constabulary have been women.
"And of course that that's a really helpful and healthy change to have. We've got very senior female officers and establish our deputy Chief Constable, a number of our superintendents are running important areas responsibility and throughout. So all those things really help."
We asked what are they doing to make things safer for people outside: "A domestic assault or violence against women and girls in in all its manifestations, it's adults and children that it applies to they should face consequences and serious ones on that.
"We've been sort of relentlessly going after those people.
"But it's also about changing behaviour. So the for the first time this year, we've had a perpetrator program where we get people in who have perpetrated violence and change their behaviour.
"And the most important thing to do is to provide support.
"There's lots of information available, through websites, you can come through Suffolk Police website, it's got really good information about domestic abuse.
"But you can also go to places like refuge and and. And they've got great stuff about, for example, how to keep yourself and safe online and a great live chat service here with videos about all those different ways that that violence can be perpetrated.
"It's for everyone. But I also think policing has a really important role and it needs to keep listening to people."
Although there are these resources available, people may feel hesitant to use them due to a lack of faith, we asked the police how they were trying to re-establish the community's trust.
"It's not an easy thing to address. It takes lots of things and instances of behaviour like the WhatsApp group... and like the dreadful murder are incredibly difficult to overcome.
"But I also think every time an officer shows care and support and professionalism towards victims and helps them that helps people to understand that the most police officers are trying to do a great job in a public service job and to keep people safe.
"We still have fantastic people from all walks of life coming forward to 'cause they want to be part of the solution and that's been a great opportunity.
"We are really determined in Suffolk that we will do everything we can to keep women and girls safe and and we we're going to be relentless in, in our drive towards standards and what we do.
"So we're in a different place already, but we will continue to improve 'cause. We know we got more work to do."