They are calling for the phrase to be stopped.
Campaigners for the end to violence against women have asked for people to refrain from saying “she was only going for a run” when speaking about Ashling Murphy’s death.
Ashling was murdered while out for a run by the Grand Canal in Tullamore last Wednesday in broad daylight, and despite what she was doing, campaigners are saying it has no correlation when it comes to why she was killed.
Campaigners are saying that the phrase “she was only going for a run” should not be used when discussing her murder as it highlights the fact that women can do everything right and still be targeted in attacks like this.
Similarly, the same was said when Sarah Everard was murdered last year when many pointed out she was “just walking home” as she was kidnapped and murdered.
Campaigners are calling for a change in the narrative as they say it doesn’t matter what women are doing, they should not be attacked and killed.
They say it doesn’t matter if she was out for a run during the day like Ashling, walking home at night like Sarah or anything else, they should be able to get home safe.
They are also calling on the Irish Government to do more when it comes to gender-based violence as there is yet to be a major change in how this is dealt with.
Minister for Justice Helen McEntee said that the new government strategy to combat domestic, sexual and gender-based violence is set to be published by March, taking a “zero-tolerance” approach to violence against women.
