In the wake of the triple crossbow homicide of three women from Bushey, the Jewish community’s charity which supports victims of domestic abuse has called on society to tackle the “heinous” issue of violence against women and girls.
The murders last week of Louise Hunt, 25, her sister Hannah, 28, and their mother Carol, 61, in Bushey, Hertfordshire have shaken the local community and ignited difficult conversations about domestic violence. After a 24-hour manhunt, Kyle Clifford, 26 the ex-boyfriend of Louise, was arrested in connection to the attack.
Jewish Women’s Aid CEO Sam Clifford told the JC:“The government will no doubt work to ban crossbows, but the weapon didn’t kill the Hunt women – the man holding it did.
“And if it wasn’t a crossbow, it would have been another weapon. We need to tackle the real reason that so many women face horrendous abuse. It’s not the weapons that are used, but those who choose to use them.”
Hannah (left) and Louise Hunt, were murdered, along with their mother Carol. Louise's ex-boyfriend, Kyle Clifford, has been arrested
According to the 2021 Femicide Census report, a woman is killed by a man every three days in the UK, and over half of such murders are committed by a current or former partner.
The risk of serious assault and death is highest for a woman after she leaves an abusive relationship: 38 per cent of women killed by their ex-partner from 2009 to 2018 were killed within the first month of separation and 89 per cent in the first year, Femicide Census reported in 2020.
“At Jewish Women’s Aid, we see on a daily basis the devastating effects of domestic abuse on women and their children,” said Sam. “We know that our community is not immune to this abuse, a crime which is as old as the Bible.”
JWA is the largest specialist organisation in the UK that supports Jewish women and children affected by domestic abuse and sexual violence. The London-based organisation provides legal advice, counselling and children’s services to women in abusive situations.
While the victims of the attack in Bushey were not Jewish themselves, they had a number of friends and acquaintances from the Jewish community, including Hannah’s boyfriend, former JFS student Alex Klein.
On Shabbat, Rabbi Elchonon Feldman of Bushey Synagogue led prayers to remember the victims.
Sam Clifford, CEO of Jewish Women's Aid, says that far more needs to be done in society to tackle misogyny and violence against women and girls (Photo: JWA)
Sam, who expressed her heartbreak for BBC and Sky racing broadcaster John Hunt, the father of Hannah and Louise and the husband of Carol, said that “until we are ready to do the hard work and challenge misogyny in all forms, we are continuing to create space for violence against women and girls”.
“We need to speak to our young people and make sure that they understand what healthy relationships are, what consent is, and where to go for help. We need to equip our communal leaders, teachers, clergy, and youth leaders with the skills to spot abuse and create safe spaces. We cannot allow another generation of girls to grow up and worry about their safety,” Sam said.
She stressed the importance of finding support among men to tackle the issue of misogyny and violence against women and girls. “We need male allies with us. We need to have uncomfortable conversations with our sons to make them understand the role they must play in our community, and we need to ensure that educating about healthy relationships is as fundamental as first aid. I hope the pain and shock we are all feeling will allow for some meaningful change.”
Jewish Women’s Aid runs a schools programme, which explores healthy relationships and consent education.
