The story we should have read:
LONDON: In the wake of the disappearance and murder of Sarah Everard, police in London have been going door-to-door urging all men to stay inside after dark and remain vigilant. In the latest MET briefing, Superintendent Daryl Stiff-Upper issued a statement:
“Clearly, our top priority is safety of our citizens. We all accept that men cannot be expected to control themselves at the provocation provided by women walking, breathing, or existing in their sight. Therefore, starting immediately, we urge all men to take the following basic precautions.
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- When at all possible, do not go out after dark.
- If you are working late or going out is unavoidable, text your partner and/or mother before you leave, and when you arrive home safely. Be sure to include your destination and current location.
- If going out is unavoidable, make sure you are in a group with others to discourage inappropriate or criminal activity.
- Stick to well-lighted areas with plenty of camera coverage.
- Further, you should think about careers where you will not need to be in public, and where you won’t have to risk the danger of travel or potentially dangerous exposure to the opposite sex. This is, obviously, for your own safety.
- Under no circumstances should you take a walk at night, answer your door, or make eye contact with a member of the opposite sex.
- Your clothing should be extremely conservative as you don’t want to appear to be “looking for it”.
- Obviously, you’ll want to limit social activities involving alcohol, because anything that happens to you under the influence is your own fault.
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In the light of continued protests at Clapham Junction, we feel these proposed actions are urgently needed for the safety of all.”
In other news, Members of Parliament including Baroness Jones are considering a curfew on men after 6 PM. Angry fathers are calling for “Make the Streets Safe From For Our Sons” marches. Safety first.
The bargain we never made.
For more on women paying for a bargain we never made, please see Amanda Taub’s Interpreter column for the New York Times:**
The “Reclaim These Streets” movement in Britain asks why the police demand sacrifices of women rather than forcing men to change to end violence.
**Well, yes. My daughter, of whom I could not be more proud.

Police line before breaking up vigil for Sarah Everard in London. Wayne Couzens, a police officer, has been charged with her murder. Mourners are holding up mobile phones. 13 March, 2021.
Thank you for the information! It is terrible. What kind of advice is this for women? Have we suddenly fallen back to the 1920s? ; .- ( However, have a beautiful week! Michael
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Sadly, it’s pretty much the same advice women have been getting ever since the 1920s. You’d really think we could do better by now.
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You live in a very interesting world. I can see the name of your sit com. How to protect men from their imaginations.
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Thanks for those kind thoughts, but I’m not feeling much like a sitcom right now. Zombie apocalypse anyone?
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Tragic
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Yes. And there’s plenty of shame to go around.
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all over the place
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Your daughter’s piece is excellent.
I agree completely that men are the ones who should stay home. I’ve been hearing (and doing) these precautions for decades.
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I was asked if it’s really fair to curfew 50% of the population for the deeds of a few. I said we already do just that.
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Change is long overdue.
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It absolutely is.
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“Why does the burden of women’s safety fall on women, rather than on the men who are the source of most of the violence against them?”
And why is this question common to countries? I am so tired of being vigilant all the time.
Your daughter is a brilliant writer. The apple falls not far from the tree.
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Thank you. I agree with your comment. (And about my daughter being brilliant!)
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Read Ms. Taub’s article earlier today and agreed 100%. In fact, I got kinda angry while reading it. But to my everlasting shame, I never made the connection with the last name. I thought she was just your run-of-the-mill New York Times columnist. Not your extra-special-because-I-know-her-mother New York Times columnist.
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Actually, I think I’m extra-special because I’m the mom of a NYT columnist. And because I have friends with such obviously great taste in reading material, of course!
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