A UK lawmaker proposed a 6 p.m. curfew for men after a London woman was murdered while walking home at night – in a case that has rocked the country and sparked intense debate over women’s safety.
Baroness Jenny Jones, a Green Party member of the House of Lords, made the extreme suggestion on Wednesday during a debate on the Domestic Abuse Bill.
“In the week that Sarah Everard was kidnapped, and we assume that there have been deaths because remains were found in a forest in Kent, I would say that at the earliest opportunity for any appropriate bill I could table an amendment for a Introduce a curfew for men on the street after 6pm, which I believe would make women a lot safer and reduce all types of discrimination, ”said Jones, according to the Independent.
But Jones was soon forced to explain that her proposal was “not an entirely serious suggestion” and not a party policy, following a torrent of criticism from voters and fellow lawmakers alike.
“OMG the world is going crazy. The greens are considering a men’s curfew after 6pm – I’ve heard it all now, ”Conservative Leader Susan Hall tweeted Thursday.
In an interview with Sky News on Friday, Jones explained that she made a point about the victims’ allegations that women often face.
“I was just trying to emphasize that when the police victim blames them by asking women to stay at home, we don’t respond. We just think it’s normal, ”said the legislator.
“That nobody really cares if the police, for example, suggest that women stay at home. But when I propose it, men are in arms. “
Everard, 33, disappeared last week while walking home from a friend’s house in Clapham, South London.
On Tuesday, London police officer Wayne Couzens – whose job includes protecting the royal family – was arrested on charges of kidnapping, murder and indecent exposure in connection with the case.
A day later, human remains, believed to be from Everard, were discovered in a wooded area near Ashford, Kent.
The innocent woman’s death sparked an outpouring of anger over violence against women in the UK.
Meanwhile, Jones said she welcomes the investigation into her ‘proposal’ and hopes it will lead to meaningful discussion of gender roles and public safety.
“Since my comments about a men’s curfew to protect women, I’ve had a deluge of misogynistic emails and tweets. Rather, that proves my position on the problem of being with men, ”the legislator tweeted Thursday.