Women in Birmingham are describing the significant time, money, and emotional toll spent on personal safety as a "pink tax on life," with the issue thrown into sharp relief following a fatal stabbing in the city centre.
The Trigger: A Fatal Attack at a Student Bus Stop
The conversation around women's safety has intensified after Katie Fox was fatally stabbed at a bus stop on Smallbrook Queensway, opposite New Street station. A 21-year-old man, Djeison Rafael, has been charged with her murder. The location is a key stop for students travelling to the University of Birmingham campus and Selly Oak, sending shockwaves through the student community.
Lucy McCabe, president of the Women in Politics Society at the University of Birmingham, explained the impact. "That bus stop is a student bus stop... So it’s shocking to think that could have been anyone," she said. "It sent shockwaves around the student community." McCabe, who was speaking from an Uber, admitted she no longer feels safe walking in the dark and now relies on taxis, acknowledging her privilege in being able to afford this alternative.
The Daily Cost of Feeling Safe
For many women, this sense of vulnerability translates into daily expenses and behavioural changes they refer to as the "pink tax." This includes paying for Ubers instead of taking the bus, altering walking routes, and employing constant vigilance.
Lucy McCabe shared anecdotes from her circle, including a friend who was followed and another to whom a man exposed himself in the street. "She then avoided that road - it was her walk to uni. It was too traumatic for her to walk past," McCabe said. "It’s almost like a pink tax on life. People can hear stories from friends and within circles and it creates this narrative in your head of feeling unsafe."
Other women described similar precautions:
- Isabella Beckreck, 23, from north Birmingham, said: "I pretend to be on the phone. Or I wear one headphone, or don’t play music."
- Erin Andringa, 23, stated: "I send my Uber driver details to someone."
A National Problem in Sharp Focus
The personal stories in Birmingham reflect a disturbing national picture. Office for National Statistics figures for the year to March 2025 reveal that more than 3.2 million women were victims of domestic abuse, sexual assault, or stalking. This is markedly higher than the two million men who experienced the same crimes.
This data underscores the heightened risk that informs the daily decisions of women, from choosing footwear for a potential run to budgeting for taxi fares. The emotional labour of planning routes, sharing locations, and maintaining hyper-awareness is an added, tiresome burden.
Floral tributes at the site of Katie Fox's death on Smallbrook Queensway serve as a stark reminder of the potential consequences. As nights draw in and streets get darker, the conversation about what constitutes adequate public safety, and who bears the cost for it, continues.
