MP ASKS THAT MEN DO MORE ON INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY
On the floor of the House of Commons yesterday, South Lakes MP Tim Farron called on men to recognise the sacrifices that women make to maintain their safety and to take responsibility for checking their attitudes towards women and girls.
Speaking on International Women's Day, Tim acknowledged the increased risk of sexual violence towards women and girls during war following Ukrainian President Zelensky's address to the House. Tim also acknowledged the sacrifices women make on day-to-day decisions to maintain their safety.
Speaking in Parliament, Tim said: "Men often do not think about the impact of sexual violence on how women and girls think about the mundane things of everyday life.
"It feels like spring today but, when autumn comes around and the nights draw in, it is a mundane, perfunctory decision for women and girls to change their routes and practices of where they go, when they go and who they go with. That is somehow a normal way of managing their time and their life to cope with such utter wickedness.
"It fills me with shame, as a man, that we live in that kind of society, where it is not safe for women and girls to go about their normal daily lives. If we are not safe, we are not free."
Continuing, he called for boys and men to do more to educate themselves on what they can do to help stamp out misogyny and not further sexism: "When some outrage happens and a woman is raped or murdered, people on the internet will say, "Oh, it is not all men."
"Stuff that, every man has responsibility.
"Every man has a responsibility to check their own attitudes, reflect upon them and make sure that we seek - for ourselves and the young men we raise in this society - to be respectful towards women and see them as equal in every way."
Speaking afterwards, Tim said: "I was incredibly honoured to be able to speak on International Women's Day, especially after hearing the moving address by President Zelensky.
"Now, more than ever, we need to be encouraging men and boys to find safe spaces where they can address their attitudes towards women comfortably and move forward."