‘Just Be Lads’ campaigner invited to talk at New Scotland Yard

Aaron Cusack was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison last week for putting pressure on a vulnerable woman to drop her rape complaint against a third party to avoid being investigated himself after she had told police he had sent her an indecent image of himself.

Ms Murray started her ‘Just Be Lads’ campaign in March 2021 following the Sarah Everard case.

‘Sarah Everard’s case profoundly affected me and lots of other women,’ said Ms Murray.

‘I started the campaign with a note pad and pen from my bedroom, so I hope this encourages people they can do things to help and that being from Guernsey doesn’t have an impact on how much we can help.’

‘Be Lads’ is an acronym for ways women can feel safer when walking alone, with the B standing for ‘Be visible’, E standing for ‘Ease tension by making a phone call’, L is for ‘Look away don’t stare’, A for ‘Active bystander’, D being ‘Distance yourself’ and S is for ‘Suggest you walk your friends home’.

The campaign also aims to challenge the ‘toxic lad culture’ and redefine what being a lad means.

‘We want to change the narrative of being a lad,’ said Ms Murray.

After having an article published in the Police Oracle magazine, Ms Murray was invited to talk at New Scotland Yard and to the National Police Chief’s Council in November.

‘It’s a massive honour,’ she said.

Following the sentencing of Aaron Cusack, Ms Murray said that it is important to realise that things like this do happen in Guernsey and that work continues to be done to ensure that the wrong people do not end up in these roles.

‘We shouldn’t underestimate the abuse of power in these roles, and that we aren’t immune to it in Guernsey,’ she said.