Safe Inside

"Females (are) most likely to be victims of domestic homicides (63.7%) and sex-related homicides (81.7%)." -- Bureau of Justice Statistics

The disappearance and murder of Sarah Everard when she was walking home earlier this month in Britain has sparked widespread protests that raise the issue of why women were told to stay inside while a similar curfew was not imposed on men. 

A policeman was arrested for Everard's alleged kidnapping and murder.

Since that arrest, public protests have erupted much like the George Floyd protests last summer, both in the middle of the stay-at-home restrictions due to Covid-19.

Men often are at loss for words about this issue. But this is precisely where the use of language becomes relevant. Well-meaning men, myself included, might say something like "as a father (brother, husband, colleague, etc.), I'm outraged that this has happened."

But of course the danger is not only about the women connected to us, it is about violence against *any* woman anywhere anytime. So the language needs to be universal and without qualification.

Any man with even a modicum of empathy realizes that women go through their entire lives never feeling as safe as we do out of doors. Equally horrible, due to domestic abuse, many women do not feel safe inside either.

Men are overwhelmingly the perpetrators of this violence, rarely the victims. And most men simply do not live with that same kind of fear.

But it's not like if we start using more inclusive language this problem will suddenly go away. Violence by men against women will continue. But maybe the women protesting would begin feeling more like they are being heard if officials took a more radical approach and imposed a curfew on men whenever a sexual predator is known to be on the loose. 

How about: "All men are to stay inside or face possible arrest during this crisis. Women are free to move about with impunity."

That might begin to change the conversation. 

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The news:

* Deb Haaland Confirmed by Senate as First Native American to Head Interior Department (WP)

* The “Reclaim These Streets” movement in Britain asks why the police demand sacrifices of women rather than forcing men to change to end violence. “It makes my stomach rot,” one organizer said. (NYT)

* There is a severe shortage of data tracking Covid deaths among homeless people in the United States. [Stat News]

* Climate change is making the West so hot and dry that even the iconic saguaro cactus is under threat (WP)

* Widespread vaccinations and warmer weather could mean outdoor concerts this summer, with possible indoor shows later in the fall. (WSJ)

* Police Shrugged Off the Proud Boys, Until They Attacked the Capitol -- Two Proud Boys accused of leading a mob to Congress followed a bloody path to get there. Law enforcement did little to stop them. (NYT)

* Two Charged With Assaulting Officer Who Died After Riot (HuffPost)

* WHO scientist says no deaths linked to COVID-19 shots, urges against panic (Reuters)

* Two underwater robots will comb the waters off Santa Catalina Island looking for barrels of toxic DDT waste that were dumped there in the 1980s. (LAT)

* Colorado and Wyoming See Record Blizzard (WP)

* China’s capital and a wide swath of the country's north were enveloped Monday in the worst sandstorm in a decade, forcing the cancelation of hundreds of flights. (AP)

* Regular booster vaccines are the future in battle with COVID-19 virus, top genome expert says (Reuters)

* Thousands March In Australia As Another #MeToo Wave Hits The Country (NPR)

* California could get $150 billion from the new coronavirus relief bill. Nearly half will go to residents through checks and expanded unemployment benefits. Billions more would go to public and private schools, vaccination efforts, testing and contact tracing efforts. There’s also money for public transit agencies, airports and child care. (AP)

* Cuomo Should Not Resign, Say Half of New Yorkers in a Poll (WSJ)

* 11.5% of Americans are fully vaccinated. (CNN)

* Climate Watch: On the Outer Banks, homeowners in Avon are confronting a tax increase of almost 50 percent to protect their homes, the only road into town, and perhaps the community’s very existence. (NYT)

* U.S. President Joe Biden remains committed to his campaign pledge that no one earning less than $400,000 should see an increase in their taxes, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said on Monday. (Reuters)

* For Voting Rights Advocates, a ‘Once in a Generation Moment’ Looms -- Opposition to restrictive Republican voting laws — and support for a sweeping Democratic bill — fuels a movement like none in decades. (NYT)

* Biden administration will use Dallas convention center to shelter migrant teen boys (WP)

* Michigan, Illinois, Gonzaga and Baylor are the four #1 seeds in this year's NCAA Tournament. (NCAA)

* Capitol Police Will Begin Scaling Back Fencing Put Up After Riot (NYT)

* Long-Term Care Residents Need Visitation to Thrive, Advocates Say (SF Public Press)

* Scientists found a fossilized dinosaur sitting on eggs containing fossilized embryos (Boing Boing)

* At bedtime, parents often neglect to properly wrap up their newborn infant in enough aluminum foil. (The Onion)

***

"Safe Inside"

Will you call me to tell me you're alright?
'Cause I worry about you the whole night
Don't make my mistakes
I won't sleep, I won't sleep
If you're home I just hope that you're sober
Is it time to let go now you're older
Don't leave me this way
I won't sleep 'til you're safe inside

-- Songwriters: Emma Rohan / James Arthur / Jonathan Hugh Quamby

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