Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has called for violence against women to be treated with the same level of priority as counter-terrorism following the murder of Sabina Nessa.

Miss Nessa was killed on Friday evening (September 17) at Cator Park in Kidbrooke, south-east London, but her body was not found until nearly 24 hours later.

There have been several high-profile murders of women in the UK in the last couple of years that have sparked conversations about the problem of violence against them.

Sarah Everard’s murder in March earlier this year was a turning point that saw people go out to protest.

Speaking to the PA news agency on Thursday morning, Mr Khan said: “I think we need to make sure we have a fully joined-up policy to address this issue, from school with boys being taught to respect girls and (taught) proper healthy relationship education, to the Government outlawing misogyny and making it a hate crime and making the harassment of women in a public place a criminal offence, to making sure the police have the support they need to address violence against women and girls but also to making sure the criminal justice service gives this the seriousness it deserve.

“I think this deserves the same priority as counter-terrorism. I agree with the inspector who called this an epidemic.

“I think it is an epidemic and I think it’s really important that people like me, who have not had to live the experiences of women and girls, listen to the experience of women and girls and work with them to have policies that address this awful issue.

“I’m in close contact with the Metropolitan Police Service and my thoughts and prayers are with Sabina Nessa’s family.

“It’s just awful what happened to Sabina last Friday. When I think of Bibaa Henry, Nicole Smallman, Sarah Everard, it’s heart-breaking.”