Mt Albert community struggling with safety after death of Lena Zhang Harrap

The Mt Albert community - especially women - are still trying to come to terms with the death of Lena Zhang Harrap. 

An outpouring of grief and support on social media has re-ignited conversations about women's safety and the extra steps they shouldn't have to take any time they walk alone.

The police tape that cordoned off Harrap's walking track is gone, instead the 27-year-old's path is now marked with flowers.

Members of the community have been shaken by the incident.

"Now when I go for walks, I'm probably more conscious," one woman from the Mt Albert community said. 

Another member of the community said: "My daughter is 13 and she used to come and do running, but not anymore. I'm really feeling for Lena's family."

Harrap's death came a fortnight after a 16-year-old girl was found dead just off a road in Manurewa. A 23-year-old man has been charged with her murder.

Overseas and on social media there has been an outpouring of grief for UK primary-school teacher Sabina Nessa.

The 28-year-old was walking five minutes from her home to meet a friend when she was attacked and killed in south London. 

"No family should go through what we are going through," Nessa's sister said. 

It's the feeling of worrying while walking alone at night that Wellington design student Lauren Crawford-Flett hopes to draw attention to in posters created as part of a university project. 

"I'd have to walk home and I wouldn't feel too safe, and so many other people do that as well," Crawford-Flatt tells Newshub. "That kind of inspired me to do the project."

She hopes the posters encourage family and friends to keep in touch when someone is feeling unsafe on their own. 

"Also opening the conversation that they shouldn't have to do that, and it shouldn't be their responsibility to ensure that they're getting home safe, it should just be a given," Crawford-Flett says. 

Even on TikTok there are videos for people to use as pretend phone calls if they feel worried walking alone at night. 

Victim advocate Ruth Money says violence against women in particular is an "epidemic" but women are feeling empowered to speak about it online. 

"They are feeling safe and empowered after the fact," Money says.

"What we would like to see is the bureaucrats and the governors make effective change so that this epidemic can be attacked." 

Because everyone should be able to go walking without a second thought.  

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