Men must speak out about violence against women says Sir Keir Starmer

Sir Keir Starmer has said men need to speak out about violence against women in response to questions about Sarah Everard.

The Labour leader said there needed to be “more police officers” on the beat and a recognition of the scale of violence against women.

He made the comments when asked what needed to be changed in law or policy to make women feel safe.

At a press conference following the launch of Labour’s national election campaign he said: “If we are to really confront this, the first thing we need to do is recognise the scale of violence against women and girls. I’m not sure everybody appreciates just how prevalent and pervasive that is.

“The second is we have to tackle it at root, we all need to recognise how we need to understand the issue, challenge behaviours – I think this is particularly an issue for men.

“It is very important for men to speak out on this issue. Of course we do need more police officers on the beat. We do need a criminal justice system that works well.”

It comes after a number of women have spoken out about violence they have experienced amidst the investigation into Ms Everard’s disappearance.

Sir Keir expressed his “deepest sympathies” to Ms Everard’s family and friends who he said will be experiencing “unspeakable grief this morning”.

He added: “This awful news has shaken us all. I’d like to say these incidents are rare, but the truth is that violence against women and girls is far too common.

“No woman should walk home with fear or threat.

“And we have to be clear: It’s only by recognising the scale of violence, intimidation and misogyny that women and girls suffer on a daily basis that we can ever start to confront this.”

Police are continuing to question a serving Met Police officer who has been arrested on suspicion of murder.

The man, aged in his 40s, works in Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command, and was arrested at his home in Deal, in Kent on Tuesday evening.

Met Commissioner Cressida Dick has sought to reassure the public in the wake of the latest developments, saying it is “thankfully incredibly rare for a woman to be abducted from our streets”.