This was first published 18/06/2018. Still nothing has changed. There’s still too much violence against women, violence against men and violence against children. You would think as a society that is supposed to be progressing that we would have minimised violence but it just hasn’t happened. But every day I hear stories of people hurting the people they say they care about.
This was about a woman who was killed and it touched my heart so I wrote this.
If I were in Victoria I’d lay flowers in the place where you were found and I would think about when I heard the news.
I couldn’t believe it. No, not again I thought when I heard. You didn’t deserve to die like that.
No one does and there’s so much anger, because once again women are told to be careful, to be situationally aware, take your phone and the list goes on.
But that doesn’t seem to help curb these types of deaths. I mean why do they happen? Is it because males feel entitled or is it some power thing?
It doesn’t matter, what matters is you died at the hands of someone, and that shouldn’t have happened.
But then I thought about an incident that happened several years ago, where I could’ve easily ended up like you, but mine was during daylight, and it made me wonder.
You were happy weren’t you, you had just finished doing something you love, you wanted to walk home. You’ve done it before why should that night have been any different. But it was.
I can see you walking home, minding your own business. I was too. Did you sense someone following you or sense being watched? I know I did and I had my phone handy.
You had your phone too, you sent a message saying you were nearly home. Then what happened?
Did he finally show his face? Mine did, he started to make polite conversation. Did your assailant do that too?
But it didn’t still the uneasiness in your stomach did it. Neither did mine. I quickly looked around to see if there was anyone in sight but there wasn’t, I bet you did too.
I went to use my phone only to have it knocked out of my hand. I wonder if you did too.
And I tried to run but he grabbed my arm with so much pressure, I knew I wasn’t going anywhere.
Did you try to run only to find your arm or your hair grabbed and you knew you weren’t going to get away.
Did you find yourself looking into his eyes like I did mine and realise they were void. He wasn’t looking at you like a human, you were just an object, you were nothing at that moment.
But I was lucky. Someone came into my view and I yelled out ‘Danny’ and I said to him ‘that’s my brother.’
I had no idea of who the guy was but it did the trick. The guy let go off me as this stranger started to walk towards me, he swore at me and took off.
I made it but unfortunately you didn’t and I’m so sorry there was no one to help you.
They call you a victim Eurydice but I don’t. I don’t see you as a victim I see you as an influencer of change.
And change we must. We as a society must change. Will we ever stop this? – probably not but maybe we can lessen it.
We also have a really bad prob with domestic violence most of which happens against women.
The violence against women is ridiculous- it just shouldn’t be this bad.
We as society need to change.
I changed my habits that day. I rarely go out at night. I’m hyper aware, park in well lit areas and do what I have to do and breathe a sigh of relief when I’m home and the doors and windows are locked. I shouldn’t have to live like that.
That’s not how a we’ll functioning society should work. We should be able to get from point A to point B without wondering if we’re going to be attacked.
But how? I don’t have the answers but as a collective, as a society we need to start coming up with something.
I’ve listened to people who say that we live in age where you are told you can do what you want.
Maybe we need to emphasise that whatever you do comes with responsibilities and consequences.
I’ve heard it said that the kids have no respect, they’re allowed to get away with anything and say whatever they like.
Maybe we need to teach them to respect others. Maybe we all need a reminder that every single one of us is a person, some are more flawed than others, and some have worse backgrounds than some, but we all need to accept one another as a human.
Maybe we need to stop making women as objects. Maybe it’s violence seen at home.
Maybe just maybe instead of more anger we should start talking about how we can achieve a better functioning society where we feel safe enough to walk around.
Maybe we should talk about the destructiveness of violence and not glorify it.
RIP Eurydice you are an influence of change because now is the time to draw the line in the sand and say enough – how do we create a safer society and start focusing on that.