Preston City Council have lowered the flag to half mast today as a mark of respect for Sarah Everard and the 200 female murders each year in the UK.

The flag was lowered at 4pm and will remain half mast for 24 hours.

Advertisements

Read more: Preston City Council response after Wainhomes win appeal to build in Barton

Cllr Jade Morgan, Member Champion for Women for Preston City Council said: “Our hearts go out to the family of Sarah Everard at this extremely difficult time, as well as to all families of women who have been victim to similar senseless violence across the UK.

“The statistics show that every week an average of two women die due to male violence in England and Wales.

“They aren’t just our sisters, mothers, girlfriends, wives, daughters, friends – they were people with their own hopes, dreams and ambitions, cruelly cut short by the far too common crime of femicide that has claimed the lives of over 1400 women in the UK from 2009-2018, and many more since.

“Too often the attention is focused on the victim, focusing on what she was wearing, where was she going and who she was with.

The latest news updates in your area can be seen below

“Let me be clear, male violence against women is a male problem. There is no justification. We must stop excusing these actions by defining them as anything other than heinous and unacceptable.

“Action must be taken to address this situation and put an end to violence against women so no more families have to suffer such devastating losses.”

Read more: See the latest Preston news and headlines