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I used to go out every Christmas Eve with friends, getting in at 3am and ruining Christmas Day by being sorely hungover. Oh, how times have changed.
This year I will be gracing the pub, but luckily as Christmas Eve is a Saturday, I get to enjoy a spot of day drinking with the benefit of sobering up before bedtime and waking up with just a craving for smoked salmon, eggs and bucks fizz and not a hankering for a cuddle with the toilet.
One thing which will never stop me feeling nauseous is the video of Zara Aleena’s murderer stalking other women on the night he murdered her. The footage is clear to see – Jordan McSweeney, previously from Rochester, was looking for a woman to kill.
Then we have Jeremy Clarkson’s violent take on his hatred of Meghan Markle. A woman that really hasn’t done anything wrong. I really cannot fathom what the issue with her is?
My friend went through a traumatic experience and her partner went for a lad’s weekend away the very next day.
What connects these three situations is varying levels of disrespect, violence and abuse.
Not for a second would I conflate the sickening murder of a defenceless woman with words in a newspaper.
'Then we have Jeremy Clarkson’s violent take on his hatred of Meghan Markle. A woman that really hasn’t done anything wrong. I really cannot fathom what the issue with her is?'
But the scourge of violence against women is a pyramid.
Having a lack of respect for your female partner, or females within your life shows your lack of regard to their feelings in general.
You desensitise yourself to the fact these people are worthy of more.
You won’t support a rise in maternity pay, or support in childcare because you don’t see it as a male issue.
You surround yourself with people who laugh at sexist comments, seeing women as the butt of a joke.
There are people out there who are desensitized because of this and end up abusing and attacking women.
I am not saying if you see your mum as the only person who cooks and cleans then you will attack a woman.
But if you can start breaking those outdated “traditional” roles we will begin raising our sons to respect and protect our daughters.
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