Why we need a fundamental culture shift for women's safety debate - the YEP Says

Every single person, regardless of age or gender, should feel safe on the streets of Leeds.
Every single person, regardless of age or gender, should feel safe on the streets of Leeds. Picture: Adobe StockEvery single person, regardless of age or gender, should feel safe on the streets of Leeds. Picture: Adobe Stock
Every single person, regardless of age or gender, should feel safe on the streets of Leeds. Picture: Adobe Stock

Whether it’s going for a run along the canal or walking to a bus stop at night, we should all be able to do so without fear of being attacked.

Women’s safety has dominated the headlines but campaigners in Leeds say that the only way to change the narrative is for people to look inwardly at societal shifts.

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They say it loud and proud: stop blaming women. Put simply, it is not fair to blame a woman if she is attacked by a man.

If the boot was on the other foot, would men be issued with warnings telling them to stay at home? That is doubtful.

The bigger questions then arise if a woman is the victim of an attack and those are whether she was alone, sober and what she was wearing.

There has to be a reason as to why it happened.

The focus instead should be on the perpetrator.

Women cannot be asked to live like this and that starts with a fundamental culture shift.

A message from the Editor:

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