Davina McCall faces backlash over ‘insensitive’ tweet claiming ‘female abduction and murder is rare’

Davina McCall’s post has sparked thousands of responses (David M. Benett/Dave Benett / Getty Images for Shortlist Media)

Davina McCall has been criticised for a tweet posted in the wake of the disappearance of Sarah Everard, in which she says that “female abduction [and] murder is extremely rare”.

Everard, 33, went missing while walking home from a friend’s house in South London last week and Wayne Couzens, a serving Metropolitan Police officer, was arrested on suspicion of murder on Wednesday.

Human remains, which are yet to be formally identified, were subsequently found in a woodland area in Kent that Couzens is thought to be familiar with.

As the search for Everard intensified this week, many women began sharing their personal stories of facing harassment, male violence and feeling unsafe while walking in public areas.

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However, tweeting on Friday morning, McCall appeared to respond to the online outcry by stating: “this level of fear-mongering isn’t healthy.”

Her full tweet read:

Within minutes of sharing the post, McCall began to draw criticism, with one Twitter user writing: “we’re not only talking about being murdered by a stranger.

“We’re discussing everything that contributes to a culture where that happens. everyday misogyny, catcalling, domestic abuse, victim blaming, the majority of rapists who never see court. nobody is saying all men.” [sic]

Another added: “female murder isn’t rare. Rape isn’t rare. Domestic violence isn’t rare. We have an epidemic of violence against women (by men) in this country and this is so unhelpful and hurtful to every women who’s been abused, assaulted, harassed, beaten, raped or yes, killed.” [sic]

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Other Twitter users pointed out statistics, including the fact one woman is killed by a man in the UK every three days:

Loose Women panelist Kaye Adams was also among the Twitters users who responded to the former Big Brother host.

Quoting McCall’s post, she wrote: ”But Davina, it is not about accusing all men , it is about asking all men to be part of the solution. And please let me say , I am not trying to [be] arsey, it’s just clearly an important conversation we all need to have.”

McCall is yet to respond to the criticism. Yahoo UK has contacted her representative for comment.

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