Womens Lives Matter campaigners fighting for domestic violence services, photo Iain Dalton

Womens Lives Matter campaigners fighting for domestic violence services, photo Iain Dalton   (Click to enlarge: opens in new window)

Angie Waller, South Yorkshire Socialist Party

I attended the vigil for victims of violence against women in Doncaster. We held a two-minute silence for Sarah Everard, Sabina Nessa, and all the women who have been murdered in lockdown by their violent partners. The vigil was supported by the local National Education Union (NEU).

Women spoke of the lack of safety they feel when out walking alone. One woman carried a safety alarm, constantly looking over her shoulder when out walking her dog.

One young woman said she had to think where she walked. She said it shouldn’t have to be like that.

Louise Harrison, from Doncaster Women’s Lives Matter, said some women have committed suicide to avoid domestic abuse. The number of murders has been increasing. 70% of women who had been murdered knew the perpetrator.

Louise condemned the £20-a-week cut in Universal Credit. It hits those in low-paid jobs the hardest, and will only make it harder for working-class women to leave abusive relationships.

I spoke from Barnsley Women’s Lives Matter about the horrific underfunding of domestic violence services, cut to the bone. We will carry on fighting the cuts to these services, and highlighting that not enough was being done to end the epidemic of violence towards women.