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The aunt of Zara Aleena, a law graduate who was tragically murdered, is advocating for legislation that would compel bystanders to intervene when they witness someone in danger. Zara, who was 35 years old, was fatally attacked in June 2022 while walking home in east London after a night out with a friend. Her killer was a known prolific offender.
This call for action comes in the wake of a report authored by Lady Elish Angiolini, which focuses on preventing sexually motivated crimes against women in public spaces. The report was released four years after the high-profile rape and murder of Sarah Everard in March 2021. One of the key recommendations within the report is that the government should promote greater public intervention in instances of wrongdoing and explore the introduction of a Good Samaritan law.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has acknowledged the report’s recommendations and indicated that the government will study them carefully. Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme, Zara’s aunt, Farah Naz, clarified that such a law would not require witnesses to endanger themselves but could include simpler actions like contacting law enforcement. She emphasized that this initiative is intended to foster a cultural shift, making communities feel empowered to step in when someone is clearly in peril. Ms. Naz stated, “My proposal for a Good Samaritan law is exactly that. It creates legal duty to act when someone is clearly in danger, offering protection and obligation.”
Farah Naz also highlighted that the report underscores the need for “whole society action” to ensure women’s safety in public spaces, and criticized the current expectation that women should solely be responsible for their own protection. Pointing to examples from other nations, she noted that several countries, including the US, Canada, and Finland, have laws protecting those who assist others from legal repercussions linked to “ordinary negligence.” In contrast, countries like Germany, Italy, Poland, and Portugal enforce a ‘duty to rescue’ law, which can criminalize individuals for failing to aid someone in an emergency if doing so doesn’t seriously endanger their own safety.
The man who killed Zara, Jordan McSweeney, was captured on CCTV in Ilford stalking women before launching a fatal attack on her. McSweeney, 29, had been released from prison just nine days prior to assaulting and murdering her in what has been described as a “brutal attack.” Farah Naz expressed that Lady Elish’s report, while difficult to read, is necessary because it exposes the systemic failures that allowed dangerous men like McSweeney and Sarah Everard’s killer to remain threats. “Systemic failure led to their murders,” she said.
The Angiolini Inquiry, initiated in 2021 after Sarah Everard’s abduction and murder by Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens, examined how such crimes could occur and broader issues regarding policing and women’s safety. The first report, released in February 2024, revealed multiple failings, including how Couzens should never have been allowed to serve as a police officer and how opportunities to stop him were missed. Lady Elish recommended that by September 2024, all police forces should have dedicated policies in place to investigate sexual offences, including non-contact crimes like indecent exposure. However, as of September 2024, 26% of police forces had not yet adopted these measures.
The second report, published recently, includes recommendations aimed at fostering positive masculinity among men and boys and improving consistent public messaging around reporting crimes. Sarah Everard’s mother, Susan Everard, wrote in the foreword to this latest report, “I am not yet at the point where happy memories of Sarah come to the fore. When I think of her, I can’t get past the horror of her last hours.”
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