It’s been four years since Sarah Everard’s murder but a Sheffield campaign group say women’s safety is still a big concern.

Charlotte Mead, a member of the equality party in Sheffield, leads a vigil once a month outside the city’s Town Hall to remember women who have been killed.

She said: “We know that this happens two to three times a week on average.

During the vigil, names of all women who have been killed as a result of male violence in the last month, are read out.

“What I think is important is that we do them consistently. We need to consistently keep remembering them. We need to keep bringing attention to it.

“There has never been a month we haven’t had names to read out,” says Charlotte. “I look forward to that day.”

Following the shocking death of Sarah Everard and the conviction of her killer, Wayne Couzens, who was found guilty of murder, rape and kidnap, the Angiolini inquiry was launched in November 2021.

Led by Lady Elish Angiolini, the current Lord Clerk Register, the inquiry investigated how Couzens was able to carry out the brutal attack, as well as examining how to prevent sexual crimes against women in public spaces

The first report of part two of the inquiry came out this week (December 2 2025).

On the evening of March 3 2021, Sarah Everard, 33, was kidnapped by police officer Wayne Couzens, while she was on her way home from a friend’s house in Clapham Common, London.

A week after her disappearance, Sarah’s remains were found in Ashford, Kent during a police search. It was later revealed Couzens, who had been off duty at the time, unlawfully arrested Sarah under the pretence of breaking lockdown rules, before raping and killing her.

Evidence heard at the Old Bailey, during Couzen’s high-profile trial, revealed his attack was premeditated plan.

The impact of Sarah Everard’s death is still profoundly felt four years later. Her mother, Susan Everard, said in a statement to the Angiolini Report: “When I think of her, I can’t get past the horror of her last hours. I am still tormented by the thought of what she endured.

Sarah Everard’s death has brought to light systematic issues. The college of policing has created a national policing culture and inclusion strategy, to last from 2025 to 2030, following the release of the first part of the Angiolini inquiry. The strategy will be focusing on culture change and building trust and will be adopted by police forces across the country.

The National Police Chief’s council has responded to the Angiolini report. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Helen Millichap said: “Women and girls have the right to live their lives free from the fear of harm and it is our priority to keep them safe and reduce the prevalence of these crimes.

“Our focus is on equipping officers and staff to recognise and respond to sexual violence in public spaces, building on the effective progress already made for rape and serious sexual offence investigations, which is highlighted by Lady Elish Angiolini.

“To anybody who is experiencing these types of crime, we urge you to report to us. We are changing, and we welcome the focus this report brings to help us change more.”

The statement also emphasised the importance of proactive work for police forces.

It is well known many women still fear for their safety in public. The Angiolini inquiry’s public survey found around three in five women feel safe overall in public spaces. To then also claim women have to sacrifice their rights and freedom in public spaces as they fear for their own safety.

Charlotte Mead, who has been taking part in the Sheffield vigils since 2021, following the deaths of Sabina Nessa and Sarah Everard, with the purpose of remembering the women whose lives have been lost to male violence.

Ms Mead was working for Radio Sheffield when Sarah Everard was killed. She remembers receiving a call from a listener, telling her to leave the family alone to grieve in peace.

She told Sheffield Wire: “This is not an isolated incident. There will be another two or three families next week going through the same thing.

“And the week after that there will be another two or three families, and the week after that. This happens every single week. It’s not just something that happens now and again.”

The vigil is on the first Thursday of every month outside the Sheffield Town Hall, for 30 minutes, starting at 5.00pm, with Ms Mead emphasising the importance of not only holding a vigil when a woman is killed and it turns into high profile media case.