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Feminism: chat

Feminism: sex and gender

Original poster

Julia James

32 replies

TamzinGrey · 11/05/2022 20:33

www.kentonline.co.uk/canterbury/news/murder-suspect-pictured-day-after-pcso-was-killed-266974/
Putting this here because it's so sad that she's been forgotten about by the national papers. It was not long after Sarah Everard's murder. Two brutal killings of women walking alone. Sarah was just walking home. Julia was just walking her dog.

OP posts:
everythingisgoingup · 11/05/2022 20:38

Thank you for sharing this, I have not seen this on the news at all.

Heavily under-reported probably as she was an 'older' women.

Such a sad situation for her family and friends. She was much loved and respected by her community Sad

FlibbertyGiblets · 11/05/2022 20:40

She was just walking her dog. It breaks your heart, doesn't it, she was just walking her dog.

Rest in peace, Julia James.

Original poster
TamzinGrey · 11/05/2022 21:44

What really breaks my heart is the information that they got from her Apple Watch. Massive spike in her heartbeat when she must first have encountered him, followed by her running for her life. Then her heartbeat cuts off at the moment of her death.

They think that she tripped and fell as she was running, because her wrist was broken in the manner of a falling person putting their hands out to save themselves. That's when he got her.

Poor poor Julia.

OP posts:
KookaburraSit · 12/05/2022 09:55

It's tragic. And her poor family. I've thought about this in the last few days when out walking my dog and seeing a bloke coming towards me, or lingering. You just have to hope he's not a dodgy one.

foxychox · 12/05/2022 12:53

Thank you for starting this thread. I have a close interest in the case as I know the area very well. I cannot believe that there is not more media interest, particularly with the defendant pleading not guilty. As pp have said, likely because she is an older woman, it makes me utterly despair though....

Pixiedust1234 · 12/05/2022 13:06

Thank you. To my shame I had forgotten her. I only really remember Sarah and that young lass out running in the afternoon (and now I have a mental block on her name). Too many are losing their lives, it feels so utterly relentless.

waterlego · 12/05/2022 13:28

This is such an awful and sad case. Just an ordinary woman, like any of us, out walking her dog. The details about the watch are really upsetting @TamzinGrey.

When I was listening to the news on the radio yesterday, they said Julia’s dog was next to her when she was found and that made me cry. (I don’t know whether the dog was alive or not but either way, just such a small but tragic detail).

My heart goes out to Julia’s family. Trying to just get through each day must be unimaginably difficult when someone you love has been torn so brutally from your life.

brandnewdayreset · 12/05/2022 15:55

Was Julia targeted or was it a random attack? A brave lady - she worked for the police. The local community remember her through little blue ribbons that are placed in the area, not just the place where she was found, but further afield, at random points in the gorgeous Kent countryside. Little blue ribbons tied in bramble bushes which will no doubt grow over the ribbons over time, and the ribbons will become invisible to passers-by, but they'll still be there.
I think that is a beautiful gesture by those people who have left them. I would like to see blue ribbons placed across the UK for all women who have suffered at the hands of such violence.

flygirl1983 · 12/05/2022 21:54

I read that his DNA was found on her body. While I'm glad that evidence exists, I'm sickened by what it might mean. It should be charged as a hate crime against women.

flygirl1983 · 13/05/2022 03:11

I really hoped to get this going chain going. I've been following it from Texas.

flygirl1983 · 13/05/2022 03:17

It's like with Nessa. It may not have been a rape, but it was sexually motivated. So was the guy who killed Nicole and Bibaa. And Ashling in Ireland.

Where I live, these men would die in prison but that's not true in the UK.

Original poster
TamzinGrey · 13/05/2022 10:46

Definitely sexually motivated. What a vile monster.
www.kentonline.co.uk/canterbury/news/killer-said-julia-deserved-to-die-267096/

OP posts:
Original poster
TamzinGrey · 13/05/2022 10:51

Link doesn't appear to work. I'll try again www.kentonline.co.uk/canterbury/news/killer-said-julia-deserved-to-die-267096/

OP posts:
Clymene · 13/05/2022 11:00

I had not forgotten about her but wasn't aware her murderer's trial was taking place. Those details from the trial are horrific. What a vile man

Thank you for raising it @TamzinGrey

waterlego · 13/05/2022 12:59

Good grief, the details in those articles are so disturbing. What a despicable individual.

Hoping for the death sentence, eh? Well tough shit. He can get locked up with men much bigger and scarier than him who will hopefully make his life miserable.

Given what he has said about what he intends to do when he is released, is there any chance they can lock this man up for a full life tariff? I know it is usually only used in exceptional circumstances (multiple murders and child murders for example). Wayne Couzens has a full life tarriff, I think? Is that because he was a copper though?

HandShoe · 13/05/2022 17:08

There was an article in the Times earlier this week: www.thetimes.co.uk/article/smart-watch-recorded-terror-as-officer-tried-to-escape-killer-r28tdffhm

The accused had been seen hanging around the area on a few occasions, they believe he was waiting for any lone female to attack. Just horrible.

axolotlfloof · 13/05/2022 17:13

I walk the dog alone in woodland everyday and often think about Julia.
We should be safe.

waterlego · 13/05/2022 17:18

@axolotlfloof I also walk my dog alone in some secluded places and I’m loathe to stop doing it as it brings both of us so much joy.

The defendant is quoted in that article as saying: ‘you can't go into the woods and expect to be safe' and that has made me furiously angry. How DARE he? Of course we can and should expect to be safe in woodland. But clearly we aren’t always safe because there might just be a piece of shit like him hanging about waiting to torment, terrify and kill a lone women. I’m so angry.

EllieQ · 13/05/2022 17:20

I remember the case as it was not long after the Sarah Everard case, and (cynically) the media were paying more attention to news about women being murdered, for a little while at least. The details about the data from her watch is very upsetting.

The Bennylyn Burke murder trial is also ongoing at the moment, and hasn’t received much National coverage either.

Clymene · 13/05/2022 17:22

I walk my dog in very remote places too. I just have to hope that I don't come across a sick fuck like this bloke. I hope he rots

flygirl1983 · 13/05/2022 20:28

TamzinGrey · 13/05/2022 10:51

Thank you for sending this. I had not seen it.

flygirl1983 · 13/05/2022 20:29

Not seen it. I'm not sure why I got cut off.

Sharrowgirl · 13/05/2022 20:40

Clymene · 13/05/2022 17:22

I walk my dog in very remote places too. I just have to hope that I don't come across a sick fuck like this bloke. I hope he rots

This is what’s so depressing. Nothing we can do to protect ourselves from this. Just have to hope you’re not the random unlucky one.

LaPufalina · 13/05/2022 20:43

I read about her in the Times this week, and also the poor 12yo girl who got stabbed in the neck in Liverpool for standing up for herself. I've always been assertive and am trying to raise my daughters the same way but this case really got to me. VAWG is still such a massive problem and I don't see what will change it.

bloodyunicorns · 13/05/2022 22:34

It's absolutely awful. He is a horrific misogynistic creep. Deserves a full life tariff. He's a danger to women. We should be safe to walk in the woods. Or anywhere.

Rest in peace, Julia James