A police commissioner is being urged to resign after saying women 'need to be streetwise' about arrests in the wake of the Sarah Everard murder.
Former Met police officer Wayne Couzens, who was handed a whole life sentence for his crimes, had falsely arrested Everard for a breach of coronavirus guidelines.
The 48-year-old used this to kidnap, rape and murder the 33-year-old marketing executive.
Philip Allott, who was elected as North Yorkshire's new Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, has now said that women should learn more about the 'legal process' to avoid false arrests from occurring.
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Speaking on BBC Radio York on Friday (1 October), the Conservative official said: "So women, first of all, need to be streetwise about when they can be arrested and when they can't be arrested.
"She should never have been arrested and submitted to that.
"Perhaps women need to consider in terms of the legal process, to just learn a bit about that legal process."
The statements have faced a furious reaction online, with many accusing Allott of victim-blaming.
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Numerous people have chimed in on the debate, including Lucy Arnold, from the campaign group Reclaim The Streets, who said: "I think frankly that was a horrifically offensive thing to say.
"Does anyone really feel like they can stand up to a police officer? I am very confident I know my rights, I know the law, but no I wouldn't feel confident at all."
On Twitter, the Everyday Sexism Project wrote: "Just when you think the absurdity of victim blaming could not possibly go any further, here is a Police Commissioner openly blaming Sarah Everard for what happened to her on BBC radio."
Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon retweeted Everyday Sexism's post, saying: "These comments are appalling. It's not up to women to fix this. It's not us who need to change.
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"The problem is male violence, not women's 'failure' to find ever more inventive ways to protect ourselves against it. For change to happen, this needs to be accepted by everyone."
Allott has since apologised for the comments with the following tweet: "I would like to wholeheartedly apologise for my comments on BBC radio York earlier today, which I realise have been insensitive and wish to retract them in full."
However, people are still calling on the police commissioner to resign, with Labour party leader Keir Starmer making the following statement:
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"He should go. I can't think of a more inappropriate thing for a police and crime commissioner to say at any time but at this time in particular. He should consider his position."
Featured Image Credit:Topics: Police, crime, UK, Murder
