On the late evening of March 3, 2021, Sarah Everard vanished in South London. On March 10th, a week after Everard’s disappearance, human remains were found by police in the rural area of Kent, England, which were then later identified as those of Sarah Everard (nbcnews.com). While the disappearance of Everard was initially circulated in the London area, certain aspects of the case allowed it to gain worldwide attention, with those eager to answer a fundamental question: What happened to Sarah Everard? 

The 33-year-old marketing executive was enjoying a life of new beginnings. According to friends and family, a new job and new relationship represented hope, prosperity, and a bright future for Everard. However, on the evening of Wednesday, March 3rd, Everard began her walk home from a friend’s home in the London neighborhood of Clapham Common to her neighborhood of Brixton Hill at around 9:30 pm. After not arriving home, friends and family became worried, identifying Everard’s failure to return home as unfamiliar behavior (nytimes.com).

As news of Everard’s disappearance spread throughout London and surrounding areas, police arrested Wayne Couzens on March 9th in Kent, England on suspicion of Everard’s kidnapping and eventually her murder when her remains were found the following day (nytimes.com). 

This murder caught worldwide attention when the identity of Everard’s murderer was released. Couzens served as a Metropolitan Police officer at the time of Everard’s kidnapping and murder with the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection unit. It is assumed that Couzens may have coaxed Everard to enter his vehicle by disarming her through his status as a police officer. However, Everard’s presumed trust in Couzens allowed him to take advantage of her (wsj.com).

Following the murder, a worldwide movement began speaking out against violent crimes against women. Because Everard was kidnapped and killed by a police officer, many feel unable to trust those who are sworn to protect them. Women wish to not be afraid to walk alone at night or be fearful of predatory men in their daily lives. Sarah Everard was simply walking home, and women should not need to be fearful of doing the same. Vaani Gandhi (12) explains how she knows “multiple women” who “have experienced the fear of predatory men at least one point in their lives.” She hopes that this fear will “one day cease to exist.” 

The tragedy of Sarah Everard’s death will continually serve as a devastating reminder of the realities of being a targeted woman. Everard was a beautiful soul who lost her life due to evil, and we must all rally together against this behavior. Everard is just one of many women who have either lost their lives or experienced immense trauma from their male counterparts. Awareness and education must be implemented to stem this tragic and widespread issue. We must hold those who act violently towards women accountable for their actions and teach each other to always treat women with dignity and respect.