An all too familiar sight in Bristol these days. A small huddle of women and men on College Green holding candles and placards. Gathered in remembrance of another woman killed by male violence.
Yesterday evening’s (Friday, January 28) vigil was held for Ashling Murphy, a 23-year-old Irish school teacher murdered by a man whilst running.
The vigil was organised by Bristol Feminist Collective, and at its peak had 25 people bracing the rain and the cold to pay their respects and to listen to each other speak on a portable mic.
A 31-year-old man, Jozef Puska, of Mucklagh in Co Offaly, has been charged with the murder. Puska appeared before Cloverhill district court in Dublin, on Wednesday via video link.
It is believed that Puska had no prior relationship with Murphy. According to Femicide Census, killings by a stranger account for only 8% of women killed by men. In all other cases the victim knew their attacker.
Many of the placards at Friday’s vigil bore similarly morbid statistics, communicating the brutal reality of male violence against women, and also how far we have yet to go to tackle the issue.
