Tesco Ireland has joined its UK counterparts in offering a message of safety to its customers, in order to tackle the problem of harassment and violence towards women.
This announcement from the supermarket comes after the death of Sarah Everard, a 33 year old woman, who was kidnapped and murdered walking home from a friend’s house in the South London area, earlier this year.
Media coverage of vigils that turned violent in the UK, to mourn Ms Everard’s death and to bring to light the common incidences of harassment towards women, have restarted the conversations of women’s safety In public spaces.
Since her death, a report has found that 97% of women have said that they have been harassed in public at some point in their lives.
In response to these events, Tesco, along with other supermarkets such as Asda and M&S, have pledged to make their stores a “safe space” for people who feel in danger, where they can wait and contact someone for support.
In a statement, the supermarket chain said: “All our stores are safe spaces.
“So if you ever feel unsafe, please use our stores to wait for a taxi, a bus, or a friend as long as you need to.
"Our colleagues will be more than happy to help.”
The message has been well-received on its Instagram, Facebook and Twitter social media pages, with people commenting messages such as: “That is amazing, well done Tesco.”
“Exactly what we want to see in the media.”
“Well done Tesco, All shops should follow in your footsteps to help anyone if they feel threatened or unsafe for any reason.”
You can contact Tesco Ireland on their free phone number 1800 248 123.
