On 27 November 2021, we held the inaugural Coventry Counts Dead Women Vigil in Shelton Square, Coventry city centre.
The circular courtyard was filled with 111 pairs of shoes, each pair representing a UK woman killed by a man during the previous 12 months. The empty shoes created an emotional and haunting reminder of lives taken. Each pair represented a daughter, mother, sister, friend whose life mattered. Hearing every name spoken aloud became the most poignant element of the vigil.
We lined up every hour on the hour to read aloud the names of all 111 women who had been killed. Hearing each name spoken aloud became the most moving moment of the vigil. It was a powerful reminder that every woman deserved to be remembered as an individual, never simply as another statistic.
The abduction, rape and murder of Sarah Everard in March 2021 became a defining moment for many women. Her death brought into sharp focus the reality of male violence against women and girls and the fear that so many women live with every day. Like countless others across the country, we were heartbroken and outraged. We felt compelled to act—not only to honour Sarah, but also to remember every woman whose life had been taken through male violence.
Although we were still living through the uncertainty and restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic, we knew we could not wait. We believed it was vital to create a space where our community could come together to grieve, to bear witness, and to say clearly that these women would not be forgotten.
The vigil is held during the United Nations’ 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, connecting Coventry with a global movementcalling for an end to male violence against women and girls.
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