With the murder of Sarah Everard and vigil on Clapham Common in mind, the Bishop of Hereford, the Rt Rev Richard Jackson, wonders in his regular column for the Hereford Times if men and woman are offered the support they need to challenge harassment

I REMEMBER a few years ago taking a call one evening from Jane (not her real name).

She came from an outwardly comfortable, well off family.

I knew them reasonably well and thought their marriage was good and healthy.

What followed was a shocking disclosure of years of domestic abuse and coercive control.

Police got involved with Jane’s case and what followed ran an all too common course. Jane sadly moved away and we lost touch, but I think of her often.

Statistics tell us that when women report this sort of thing, on average it is the final straw after 37 other incidents.

Many other statistics, which I could also highlight – all are equally shocking – show the damage that coercive behaviour, harassment and acts of violence have on individuals' lives.

The countless examples of everyday sexism towards women and men also highlight the long-term impact on wellbeing that words hold.

However, for me Jane’s story and the countless stories of other men and women who have experienced domestic violence raise some fundamental questions which we do need to talk about as a society.

Foremost, I wonder what more we can do to support and help raise children in families where violence has been displayed, ensuring that they know that this is not acceptable or normal behaviour.

The recent murder of Sarah Everard and police action at the vigil held on Clapham Common raises other questions about our behaviours and measured response – I worry that our lack of openness to seek another point of view or talk together and seek solutions mean that domestic violence, predatory, coercive behaviours, sexual harassment are aired but not resolved.

How do we offer men and women the support they need to escape toxic relationships or challenge harassment?

I worry about what is happening to our society if we fill our minds with toxic, violent and pornographic imagery in media and video games.

This cannot have a neutral effect on behaviour. Those who bleat about the dangers of censorship will have a view, but we do need to talk about it.