A VIGIL to commemorate all victims of gender-based violence could be held in Glasgow when Covid-19 restrictions allow.

The council will be asked to agree to working on the event with local organisers behind the recent Reclaim These Streets movement.

A cross-party motion, put together by SNP, Labour and Green councillors, calls on elected members to “consider their leadership role in tackling gender-based violence”.

It states the “responsibility is not on women, girls and gender non-conforming people to change their behaviour, but on men to stop attacking women”.

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The motion, to be presented by Councillor Jennifer Layden, the city convener for community empowerment, equalities and human rights, follows the death of Sarah Everard.

Ms Everard, 33, was found dead after she disappeared while walking home in South London.

A police officer, Wayne Couzens, has been charged with kidnap and murder.

Ribbons and notes paying tribute to Ms Everard and other victims of gender-based violence were tied to trees and gates at parks across Glasgow earlier this month.

The tributes were made following a request from Reclaim These Streets organisers, after gatherings were cancelled due to pandemic restrictions.

Notes also paid tribute to Moira Jones, who was murdered in Queen’s Park in 2008.

Cllr Layden has worked alongside Labour councillors Eva Murray and Aileen McKenzie and Kim Long, of the Green group, on the motion, which offers condolences to Ms Everard’s family.

She said: “Recent events bring into stark focus what most women at some point in their lives have to deal with – violence or intimidation at the hands of men.

“For too long women have been taught to modify our behaviour to protect ourselves. This is not good enough.

“It is for men to change their behaviour and to challenge behaviour that makes women and girls feel unsafe on our streets.”

She added: “I want to thank Reclaim These Street, local organisers and other organisations and individuals, including Glasgow’s Violence Against Women Partnership for all the work they do to protect women and girls, and for their continued activism on this issue.

“I look forward to walking alongside them when restrictions allow.”

The council will also be asked to commit to a programme ran by Close the Gap, a policy advocacy group working on women’s labour market participation.

An ‘Equally Safe at Work’ scheme aims to help employers improve their employment practice to advance gender equality at work and prevent violence against women.

Cllr Long said: “Women councillors from across the chamber have worked together to bring this joint motion on the endemic sexual violence faced by women, in response to the awful alleged murder of Sarah Everard and also to recognise the huge outpouring of grief and anger from women across Glasgow over the past few weeks.

“I worked with the organisers of the Reclaim These Streets vigils to create a new vigil site in Dennistoun. I also asked the organisers to share with women councillors the letters and notes that were tied to park gates so we can read them out in the council chamber.

“We will use our position of power to amplify the voices of women and ensure they are heard. This motion is an action of solidarity by and with women, and calls on men to listen.”

Cllr Murray thanked Cllr Layden for “reaching out and truly making this a cross-party effort”.

“Girls and women should be able to walk our streets without fear of violence or harassment, but sadly we know that isn’t the reality right now,” she added.

“Recent tragedies like the suspected murder of Sarah Everard, which shocked and hurt us all, prove just how much we still have to do when it comes to gender-based violence.

“This motion sets out to remember those who have lost their lives, simply because of their gender and it aims to make us all, but especially men, think about their own behaviours as well as think about what they can do in their own spheres to challenge and educate other boys and men to create safer streets for all of us.”

Cllr McKenzie said the motion "will highlight not only the violence and murder women fear every time they walk down a darkened street or through a secluded area, but that the perpetrators of most violence against women crimes are carried out by someone known to the victim, either a partner or ex-partner".

"This isn't one ethnic, age or social class group that is more at risk, no one woman is safe from men's violence.

"I'm extremely happy to see cross party support on this issue, as violence against women is something that affects over 60,000 women in Scotland per year (2018-2019) and look forward to working constructively with colleagues across the chamber in the future."