Hull Reclaim These Streets vigil for women victims of male violence

Organisers of the vigil held in Hull city centre want misogyny to be treated as a hate crime

Dozens of people have attended a vigil to remember women who have died at the hands of male violence.

Saturday's vigil in Queen Victoria Square, Hull, was organised by local group, Reclaim These Streets Hull.

Attendees held up lighted mobile phones - "to shine a light on misogyny" - during the group's second event in the city, after its first in May.

Organiser Sophia Waterfield said women lived in a "constant environment of victim-blaming."

During the vigil a two-minute silence was held and the names of victims of male violence were displayed.

Ms Waterfield said: "After our first event nothing has changed and their have been countless new stories including Sarah Everard and how a police officer used his authority to kidnap her."

Lighted mobile phones were to "shine a light on misogyny" said Ms Waterfield

Wayne Couzens kidnapped, raped and murdered Sarah Everard while he was a serving officer, using his police warrant card.

It was revealed he was linked to several alleged incidents of indecent exposure, including in the days before Ms Everard's abduction in March.

Her killer was jailed last month.

Ms Waterfield also referred to the recent comments on the case by Philip Allott, ex-North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner.

The police boss' comments sparked outrage and he resigned this month hours after a no-confidence vote in him.

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Libby Squires a University of Hull student was murdered in 2019

Ms Waterfield said the group also called for misogyny to be treated as a hate crime and for more education in schools to teach children appropriate behaviour.

She said the Hull vigil was held "because crimes happen everywhere" and "the case of Libby Squire didn't happen that long ago".

Ms Squire, a University of Hull philosophy student, was raped and murdered in the city in 2019.

Her killer, a serial sex offender, was jailed for 27 years in February.