Curfews For Men Dismissed As A “Sad Distraction” From Women's Safety By Welsh Leader Mark Drakeford
Mark Drakeford did not rule out imposing a curfew during an interview with the BBC (Alamy)
2 min read
First Minister Mark Drakeford has insisted that Wales is not considering introducing a curfew for men, and has said the idea is a “sad distraction” from the issue of women’s safety.
His comments came after the Welsh leader was accused of suggesting that his government would consider such a measure in future as a during an appearance on BBC Breakfast on Friday.
Questioned on the measure Drakeford broadly dismissed the idea of curfews and said they could only ever be considered as a “temporary intervention” in a crisis.
"It is not at the top of our list. There are other things we can do and should do, but people need to be safe and to feel safe," he added.
Drakeford has now reiterated his dismissal of the meaure. “We are NOT introducing a curfew for men in Wales – or even considering it. This is misleading and deliberately misses the real issue,” he wrote on Twitter shortly after.
“It’s a sad distraction when what’s needed is a proper discussion about women’s safety and why a woman is killed every 3 days by a man in the UK.”
A 6pm curfew for men was proposed by Green Party peer Baroness Jones of Moulescoomb in the Lords on Thursday, following the disappearance of Sarah Everard in London last Wednesday.
“In the week that Sarah Everard was abducted, I argue that at the next opportunity for any Bill that is appropriate, I might put in an amendment to create a curfew for men on the streets after 6pm,” she said.
A serving Met Police officer has been arrested in connection with Everard’s disappearance, and the force’s Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick has told the public that “it is thankfully incredibly rare for a woman to be abducted from our streets”.
Meanwhile, a legal battle has erupted ahead of a planned vigil for Everard on Saturday which organisers have dubbed ‘Reclaim These Streets’.
The event has been described as “vigil for Sarah, but also for all women who feel unsafe, who go missing from our streets and who face violence every day.”
Police have withdrawn support for the event, and its organisers say they face up to £30,000 in fines and fees should their legal challenge be unsuccessful.
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