Vigil to retrace murder victim's final steps before she was beaten to death
Three families whose loved ones were murdered by men will unite to lead a landmark vigil to end violence against women and girls.
Relatives of Zara Aleena, Sabina Nessa and Jan Mustafa will join hundreds in a rally this Sunday to highlight the shocking 37 per cent rise in attacks on women in the past five years. The march - which marks three years since aspiring lawyer Zara, 35, was sexually assaulted and beaten to death by Jordan McSweeney on June 26 2022 on her way home - will retrace her final steps through Ilford, East London.
And Zara's aunt Farah Naz will tell the vigil of the chilling conversation she had with her niece after the death of Sarah Everard, 33, who had been murdered by Met Police officer Wayne Couzens a year earlier as she walked home from a friend's house in South London.
Farah told the Mirror: "I've never spoken about it before but Zara had a long conversation with me after Sarah's death in which she said, 'Why can't we just walk home? Why can't we walk our streets?' The injustice of it shook her.
"It is devastating that she suffered the same fate and that no lessons were learned from Sarah's death.
"Walking side by side with two other families who have gone through what we have will hopefully send out the message that violence against women and girls has to end now.
"This vigil will be very powerful. Zara's legacy is to create change. As a society we have to change from the bottom up. We need to look out for others in our community. It is on us to make our streets safe by taking care of others and being aware that women and girls are at risk.
"And politicians have to do their part and commit to sustainable change, before there is another dreadful case. I've been thinking about what Zara would say and I know she would say, 'Something has to change'."
More than 3,000 offences of violence against women and girls are reported each day and one in 12 women are victims each year, according to the Office for National Statistics.
The vigil will start with Farah's speech and a minute's silence before the crowd are led on the walk Zara took.
Farah said they are looking to widen next year's vigil and she plans to meet police and council chiefs to discuss how to make Redbridge, the borough in which Zara died, safer.
Redbridge council has launched a Don't Stand By, Step In campaign, which calls upon residents to keep an eye out for signs of sexual harassment.
Joining the vigil will be the family of primary school teacher Sabina Nessa, 28, who was beaten and strangled by Koci Selamaj in Kidbrooke, in South East London, on September 17, 2021.
Loved ones of Mihrican Mustafa, 38 - known as Jan - will also attend. Her body was found next to Henriett Szucs, 34, in the padlocked freezer of Zahid Younis in Canning Town, East London, in April 2019.
Her cousin Ayse Hussein said: "It's very important to attend as it is also part of my grieving process, and knowing I'm doing something to help raise awareness and to help stop violence against women and girls.
"Myself, Farah and Jebina - Sabina's sister - have built a very special bond and we will continue to stand and support each other wherever we can."
Campaign group End Violence Against Women will attend, alongside online safety app WalkSafe, whose founder, Emma Kay, said: "We stand with Zara's family in trying to create a safer world for all."
'Zara's death in June 2022 left an indelible mark on not only the community in London but all across the country.
"We have seen first-hand - through the swathes of people who downloaded our apps after the deaths of Zara and Sarah Everard in 2021 - that women do not feel safe in their own cities and towns. This has to stop,
"WalkSafe can provide safety information, journey planning & safety initiatives nationally all on one easy to use app.
"We have to shine a light on violence against women and girls. For far too long women and girls have been denied the basic right of feeling safe as they walk home.
"We stand with Zara's family in trying to create a safer world for all.'
The vigil will take place on Sunday June 29 at 1.30pm at Valentine's Park in Ilford, East London.
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