A significant portion of social media surrounding the death of Jassy Correia lays blame on her and her friends, asking why she was left on her own or why they allowed her to leave with a man she had just met. The victim shaming and victim blaming needs to stop.

We, as a society, put the weight of a woman’s safety on her own shoulders: Don’t dress provocatively, don’t travel alone, watch your drink be made and never take your hands or eyes off of it. The only person who is in charge of a woman’s safety in this society is herself.

Our society needs to redirect this responsibility onto the perpetrators, the ones who don’t understand that no means no; the ones who don’t understand basic human decency. It is the responsibility of all to ensure that our fellow human beings are able to safely enjoy nights out with friends, days out on the town or simply walking through the city without fear of attack or assault.

Violence against women is not an issue that should fall solely on the shoulders of women. It is a societal concern that affects us all, every day, and the world needs to share this concern and work towards a brighter and safer world.

~The Suffolk Journal Staff