Maybe my diplomat daughter Becky's death won't have been in vain after all

The mother of the only British female embassy worker to be murdered in the line of public service, has been overwhelmed by the response from Express readers to her campaign to educate young people and prevent violence against women and girls. Since our articles in December, when King Charles presented her with the Elizabeth Emblem in honour of her daughter Rebecca Dykes, Jane Houng has been contacted by more than 300 UK charities and individuals keen to work with her Becky’s Button project.

The device is the smallest panic alarm in the world and Jane believes it could have given Rebecca, 30, precious seconds to escape from the taxi driver who raped and murdered her in Beirut, Lebanon, in 2017. Jane said: “This incredible response underscores the urgent need to act.” In recent days she has been running workshops on gender-based violence in Beirut as well as setting up similar projects at British universities and schools.

Her work is creating a legacy of change in memory of Rebecca – an international development worker at the British Embassy who was helping Lebanon cope with waves of refugees fleeing Syria. The Becky’s Button “tool for survival” has already been distributed to thousands of women in refugee camps and other dangerous locations.

Last week 50 of the discreet but loud panic buttons were donated to the Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust after a night nurse requested them to help with colleagues’ safety. Jane, who spoke at an International Women’s Day event at Cambridge University yesterday, said: “I have the highest regard for nurses. My auntie and two first cousins were nurses so I’m familiar with the challenges they face.”

The previous week she organised a workshop at Kingsdale Foundation School in South London that was attended by more than a hundred Year 12 students as well as by Helen Hayes, MP for Dulwich and West Norwood, who praised her “fantastic work”. The audience was treated to a performance by Mike Lindup of pop group Level 42, who will be a trustee of the Becky’s Button charity when it is registered later this year. Jane said: “We like building communities in schools and universities because we are able to talk to young men and women together.

"We educate the males to speak out and empower the females to move forward as a group. Engaging with young people makes me very happy as it has the power to bring about a real shift in behaviour and attitude.”

Among the boys taking part in Jane’s first British workshop was Adisa McDonald, 17, who said: “As a male it was truly eye-opening to the everyday small acts we can do to help make women feel safer. Often, we think of ­gender-based violence as an issue predominately in other countries but Becky’s Button reinforces that it is in fact prevalent within Western society – and we must use our voice to help.”

Jane said: “The key takeaway from the workshop was ‘your safety matters and you have the right to feel safe at home, in school and online’. We reminded the students they have the power to make a difference, not just for themselves but for those around them.

“All participants received a Becky’s Button panic alarm. Females were encouraged to wear or carry them at all times, and men were asked to gift theirs to a female they care about, unless they felt they needed them for themselves.”

Buttons have also been distributed in the past few days via the charity Survivors of Human Trafficking in Scotland. Next week, Jane will give others to the Shuttlewood Clarke Foundation, which works with vulnerable people in Loughborough.

And later this month she is running a workshop for Manchester Metropolitan University students. She has also been in Lebanon, speaking at the American University of Beirut and visiting Syrian refugees. Jane said: “I hope raising awareness and distributing Becky’s Buttons will have a major impact in the long term. Maybe Becky’s death won’t be in vain after all.”

• Jane is trying to raise £3,000 via JustGiving to distribute 1,000 more panic alarms and further raise awareness. To donate go to justgiving.com/crowdfunding/mirandajane-houng