Votes for Women! Why we should never forget the sacrifices of the suffragettes

Beaten, hosed down and force-fed – the women who gave everything for equality in Britain

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Next time there's an election, whether it be at local or national level, will you go out and vote? The fact we even have the choice is accepted as the norm and, in our democracy, you could say we take it for granted. But on the centenary of the death of Emily Davison, it's important to never forget the sacrifices of the suffragettes, and our ongoing battle for full equality for women.

One hundred years ago, the fight for women's enfranchisement was in full swing. The Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU), led by Emmeline Pankhurst, adopted militant tactics for maximum impact in their battle for women's rights but were punished severely for it. The suffragettes were arrested for damaging property, disrupting meetings and chaining themselves to railings but because they weren't treated as political prisoners and for maximum coverage, they went on hunger strike.


The hunger strike had extremely painful repercussions - force-feeding. One woman recalled the brutal process: "Held by the four wardresses the two-foot long tube was forced up my nostril by the doctor. The sensations of the tube's progress up my nose and down my throat was very painful. The drums of my ears seemed to be at bursting point and there was a terrible pain in my throat and chest. They pushed nearly two feet of the tube into me. Then I was forced to lie down on the bed by the four wardresses and held there. The doctor then stood on a chair holding the funnel end of the tube above my head. He then started to pour a liquid mixture of milk and egg into the funnel. After a few moments, the doctor decided that the liquid wasn't going down fast enough so he pinched my nostril with the tube in it and squeezed my throat, causing me even more pain. When they had finished, the doctor checked my heart and they all left to force feed someone else."

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In addition to being force fed, the women were also subjected to rough treatment and there were many cases of them being hosed down with cold water for barricading themselves in their cell. During demonstrations, they were thrown to the ground and trampled on, and had limbs broken.


But the woman most famous for her ultimate sacrifice is Emily Davison who, along with being soaked with ice water and force fed in prison, gave her life for the cause. Although there's debate about whether she committed suicide or wanted to pin a banner on the King's horse, Emily was killed when she was crushed under the hooves of the horse at the Epsom derby in June, 1913. She's been a martyr for women's suffrage ever since.

It's easy to forget the amazing lengths women went to in order for us all to receive the vote, but their campaign should forever be celebrated and remembered. The suffragettes are one of the main reasons the Representation of the People Act was passed in 1918. But the fight for equality is still raging today.


For instance, do you think it's acceptable that women are paid less than men? No, neither do we. Laws on equal pay have existed for more than 40 years, yet women working full-time in the UK are still paid on average 14.9 % less per hour than men. That's why Cosmo continues to campaign for the government to make equal-pay auditing compulsory and encourages women to use the F word and be proud to fight for full equality in the UK.

So, on this important anniversary, think of the women who sacrificed everything for us, but also look to the road ahead and the challenges we still need to tackle.

What would you fight for? Tell us @CosmopolitanUK

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