Ulrika Jonsson says she’s ‘unhappy’ with Davina McCall’s warning against ‘fear-mongering’ in the wake of Sarah Everard’s murder – insisting men’s mental health is a ‘separate issue’
- Davina McCall warned against ‘fear-mongering,’ after death of Sarah Everard,33
- Sarah disappeared while walking home through Clapham on night of March 3
- Many women have shared experiences of harassment since her disappearance
- Ulrika says violence against women ‘is not rare’ and that ‘men are fearing men’
Ulrika Jonsson has admitted she wasn’t happy with Davina McCall warning against ‘fear-mongering’ in the wake of the Sarah Everard murder.
Earlier this week Metropolitan Police confirmed human remains found in Ashford, Kent, were those of Sarah, 33, who disappeared while walking home in Clapham on March 3.
Wayne Couzens, 48, a serving Met Police officer, has been arrested in connection with her kidnap and murder and Sarah’s death prompted an outpouring of emotion online as women share their experience of being approached and harassed in the street.
Davina, 53, weighed in on the debate last week, saying that to brand all men dangerous is ‘bad for our sons, brothers and partners’, but appearing on Good Morning Britain, Ulrika, 53, says that male mental health is a ‘separate issue’ that doesn’t have a place in ‘this conversation’ .
Ulrika Jonsson, pictured on Lorraine today, has admitted she wasn’t happy with Davina McCall warning against ‘fear-mongering’ in the wake of the Sarah Everard murder
Davina, 53, pictured in 2015, said calling all men dangerous is ‘bad for our sons, brothers and partners’, and warned against ‘fear-mongering’ in the wake of the Sarah Everard murder
Admitting she wasn’t ‘happy’, Ulrika said: ‘It’s not fear mongering because it’s happening and to say it is rare is also incorrect. We know that domestic abuse is definitely not rare.’
‘I’m sure what she was trying to do is to say “Lets not forget this is not all men”, but I don’t think that’s a conversation that needs to be had. I don’t think anyone has ever said that this is all men. Men’s mental health is a separate issue to this.’
After sharing her own views about the issue on Instagram, Ulrika was approached by several men who said they had experienced violence at the hands of other males.
‘It wasn’t until I was scrolling down, and a couple [of responses] said they had been gang raped and attacked and these were men who were leaving this messages for me.
Earlier this week Metropolitan Police confirmed human remains found in Ashford, Kent, were those of Sarah, 33, who disappeared while walking home in Clapham on March 3
‘So, that was really quite shocking. It’s men who are fearing men, men aren’t fearing women.
‘I think men’s mental health is a very important issue, but not one that has a place in this conversation. ‘
Davina’s original Tweet read: ‘Female abduction/murder is extremely rare. Yes we should all be vigilant when out alone.
‘But this level of fear-mongering isn’t healthy. And men’s mental health is an issue as well. Calling all men out as dangerous is bad for our sons, brothers, partners.’
Davina’s original Tweet read: ‘Female abduction / murder is extremely rare. Yes we should all be vigilant when out alone. ‘But this level of fear-mongering isn’t healthy.’
Broadcasters, magazine editors and other women have hit out at the claim, while some men online defended McCall’s comments.
Ulrika’s comments come after organisers of Sarah Everard vigil said that Met Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick should not be forced to resign over her officers’ conduct at the event.
Dame Cressida, 60, was fighting for her job after criticism of how her force policed Saturday’s protest, with officers seen handcuffing screaming women who had gathered in Sarah’s memory.
She has said her officers were right to break up the event, which saw thousands of people – mainly women – gather on Clapham Common in south London, near to where Sarah was abducted.
Police detain protester Patsy Stevenson on Saturday night amid ugly scenes as they tried to break up the vigil for Sarah Everard
Anna Birley, from campaign group Reclaim These Streets, said forcing the exit of the first female leader of Britain’s biggest police force would do nothing to advance female equality.
‘We are a movement of women seeking to support and empower other women, and as one of the most senior women in British policing history, we do not want to add to the pile-on,’ she said.
Meanwhile, Patsy Stevenson, the protester who was seen being pinned on the ground by police in images that went viral, said she was ‘terrified’ by the officers’ behaviour but refused to call Dame Cressida’s resignation.
She told Good Morning Britain: ‘As someone who stands up for women’s rights I think we need to get the message away from ”We are against the police” and focus on how we need to open a new dialogue to protect women’s safety.’
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