Jackie the Ripper? Violence against women is not a gimmick

This post discusses sensitive topics about sexual assault.

This International Women’s Day saw the latest in a long line of complete stupidity and disregard for the plight of violence against women at the hands of men. In a failed attempt at appearing equal, London Dungeon renamed Jack the Ripper – murderer of countless women and never caught – Jackie the Ripper for 24 hours to celebrate such an important calendar event.

Violence against women is at an all-time high. The Home Office recently released a campaign ad called “Enough” to raise awareness about some of the more covert types of aggression women face, as these ads urge people to say something if they see something.

With this in mind, why on earth did London Dungeon think it was appropriate to attribute a day made for raising awareness and celebrating women to a serial killer who brutally murdered women? A serial killer who more recent serial killers have used as a blueprint to repeat such crimes and terrorise women further?

What was the point here supposed to be? Women can be infamous serial killers too? We know that, err Rose West, anyone? Women died at the hands of this cloaked psycho who terrorised London for years, and yet, they think this is the kind of representation we are missing out on?

According to The Mirror, a spokesperson for London Dungeons said,

“With men often stealing the spotlight when it comes to the ghastly and gory crimes, we wanted to give ladies their dues for International Women’s Day.”

I think you’d be hard-pressed to find a woman who takes issue with being the minority in this particular field. Not only are most serial killers men, but most of their victims are women. I can’t stress enough how misguided this attempt at celebrating women – if you can even call it that – was.

Women are being snatched off the street by the same men paid to protect them. Every day women are having their rights stripped, are gaslit, discriminated against, paid unfairly, and don’t even have the basic privilege of wearing what they want without it being the deciding factor on whether or not they deserved to be raped.

I care about International Women’s Day a great deal because it’s so important to have time as a woman to reflect on all the good in a world where it’s easy to lose sight of how far women have come. It’s important to raise awareness and remember the women of the past who helped us all get here.

It’s infuriating when someone makes a careless, unsolicited play like this. It highlights the sheer lack of consideration and understanding to the point of the day, and for the equality we fight for.

Fuck you, London Dungeons, and all those involved in this ignorant, unnecessary attempt at making us feel included.  

Image credit: Codepink, Fred Murphy 2018