Now the dust has settled in the South African courtroom. The camera crews and journalists are packing up and getting their planes home. Pistorius is in a prison cell, facing a five-year sentence, but secure in the knowledge that he may only have to serve ten months of it. Who knows, perhaps his hotly anticipated memoir will be on the shelves ready for next Christmas. The sports committees who make the decisions have ruled that he won’t be allowed to compete for five years. So at least Steenkamp’s family won’t have to hear thousands of fans in Rio cheering the name of their daughter’s killer.

Pistorius’ story is already being re-written. No longer a case of a man who shot a woman dead, it’s now a narrative of the fallen hero. It’s a story about his ‘ordeal’. His ‘fall from grace’. We’re already hearing about his ‘ruined life’ – always written in the passive tense so that we don’t notice he was the active agent in his own ruining. The fact that Reeva Steenkamp’s life is ended remains unspoken.

I believe there’s another story to be told, in the wake of this case. And that’s the story of male violence against women – both in South Africa where a woman is killed by her partner every eight hours, in the UK where a woman is killed by her partner every 3.5 days, and around the world where 1 in 3 women will be raped, beaten or abused in their lifetimes. During the period of Pistorius’ sentencing, approximately 27 women were killed as a result of domestic abuse in South Africa.

Reeva Steenkamp was killed on 14 February 2013 – the same day millions of women followed Eve Ensler’s to dance in defiance of male violence for One Billion Rising. Since her death, approximately 243 women have been killed by suspected male violence in the UK – 118 this year alone. The last woman killed – in my hometown – was just 18 years old. She had her whole life ahead of her. She had hopes and dreams. Whoever killed her stole that future from her.

Some of those women’s murders were followed by an inquiry into police failings. The inquiries found, again, that the police could have acted sooner to protect the victim. The inquiries found, again, that calls for help from the victim were ignored. The inquiries found, again, that if the women were listened to and supported, they didn’t need to die.

Meanwhile, the safety net of refuges that have saved countless women’s lives are being attacked, and closed. As a result, a snapshot day recorded by Women’s Aid found that 150 women with 103 children were turned away from refuges.

Almost every time a woman is killed by a man in the UK, the murder is described by the police as an ‘isolated incident’. But when 118 women are killed by men in nine and a half months, these are not ‘isolated incidents’. These murders are connected. Until we recognise that these are not isolated incidents, that they are part of a pattern of male violence, then we won’t be able to prevent these killings.

Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Show all 53 1 /53 Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Members of the South African Police Service with Oscar Pistorius in the back of an armoured police vehicle as he is transported away from the High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius escorted by south African policemen enters a police van after being sentenced at the High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius enters a police van after his sentencing at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius is lead away by police and into an armoured vehicle as he is transported away from the High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius is escorted by south African policemen to a police vehicle to transported to prison at the High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Reeva Steenkamp's parents Parents of Reeva Steenkamp leave the High Court in Pretoria after Oscar Pistorius was sentenced to 5 years in prison for shooting his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Pistorius leaves the Pretoria High Court after he is sentenced in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius is led out of court in Pretoria. Pistorius received a five-year prison sentence for culpable homicide by judge Thokozile Masipais for the killing of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius turns to leave the dock following his sentencing at the high court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius holds the hands of uncle Arnold Pistorius and family members as he is taken down to the holding cells by South African police after being sentenced to five years imprisonment for the culpable homicide killing of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp at the high court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius embraced by his coach Ampie Louw before his sentencing on day six of sentencing procedures at the High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Aimee Pistorius Oscar Pistorius's sister Aimee Pistorius looks on during sentencing of Oscar Pistorius at the High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius listens to his judgement in the Pretoria High Court Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius stands in the dock as sentence is delivered at the High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Judge Thokozile Masipa Judge Thokozile Masipa speaks during the last day of sentencing hearing of Oscar Pistorius at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Reeva Steenkamp's parents Reeva Steenkamp's parents June and Barry Steenkamp arrive in the Pretoria High Court for the last day of Oscar Pistorius sentencing Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius arrives in court on day six of sentencing procedures at the High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius arrives for the last day of his sentencing at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius reacts during day five of sentencing procedures at the High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius cries during his fifth day of sentencing hearing at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius wipes tears during his fifth day of sentencing hearing at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius in the dock during day four of sentencing procedures at the High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius The sister of Oscar Pistorius, Aimee (L), sits next to her aunt Lois during his sentencing hearing at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius South African Judge Thokozile Masipa waits before the sentencing hearing of Oscar Pistorius at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius sits in court before the fourth day of sentencing proceedings in the high court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius arrives for the fourth day of sentencing at North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius leaves the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius on day three of sentencing procedures at the High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius is comforted by his lawyer Barry Roux, while listening to a family witness's account of her longstanding friendship with Reeva Steenkamp, during his sentencing proceedings at the high court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Reeva Steenkamp's parents Barry Steenkamp, father of Reeva Steenkamp, is consoled by his wife June Steenkamp during the sentencing hearing of Oscar Pistorius at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius South African Olympic and Paralympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius arrives at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria. Pistorius returned to the court on the third day of sentencing procedures for the negligent killing of his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Reeva Steenkamp's parents June Steenkamp (front) and her husband Barry (L), parents of Reeva Steenkamp, arrive at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on the third day of Pistorius sentencing Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Carl and Aimee Pistorius Siblings Carl and Aimee Pistorius arrive at the High Court in Pretoria, as their brother Oscar Pistorius appears on the third day of the sentencing procedure Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius leaves the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria. He returned to the court for the second day of sentencing procedures for the negligent killing of his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures June Steenkamp June Steenkamp leaves the High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Barry Steenkamp Barry Steenkamp leaves the High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius sits in the Pretoria High Court on the second day of his sentencing Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Samantha Taylor and Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius makes his way past his ex girlfriend Samantha Taylor as he arrives in the Pretoria High Court for sentencing in his murder trial in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius and Carl Pistorius Oscar Pistorius hugs his brother Carl Pistorius as he arrives in the Pretoria High Court for the second day of sentencing in his murder trial Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Reeva Steenkamp's family Reeva Steenkamp's family arrive at the High Court for the second day of the sentencing of Oscar Pistorius murder trial in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures A supporter of the death penalty outside the court A supporter of the death penalty holds a noose outside the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius arrives at the High Court for the second day of sentencing in his murder trial in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius is greeted by an unidentified woman at the end of his first day of sentencing hearing at the High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius looks down while his psychologist gives evidence during sentencing procedures on a charge of culpable homicide at the High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures June Steenkamp Reeva Steenkamp's mother June Steenkamp during the sentencing of Osar Pistorius in the Pretoria High Court Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius arrives in court to face sentencing for the shooting death of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius talks to one of his defence lawyers at the High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius sits after arriving for sentencing procedures on a charge of culpable homicide at the High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Gerrie Nel Prosecutor Gerrie Nel cross-examines a witness during the court appearance of Oscar Pistorius in his sentencing on a charge of culpable homicide at the High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures June Steenkamp June Steenkamp, the mother of Reeva Steenkamp arrives at High Court for the sentencing of Oscar Pistorius murder trial in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Barry Steenkamp Barry Steenkamp, father of Reeva Steenkamp, arrives ahead of the sentencing of Olympic and Paralympic track star Oscar Pistorius at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Barry Roux Barry Roux, Defence lawyer of Oscar Pistorius, arrives at the High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius arrives at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria

Not treating domestic abuse murders as isolated incidents will involve the police taking calls for help from abused women seriously. It will involve a co-ordinated and urgent response to reports from women that their partner is threatening them. It will involve recognising the signs, hearing the cries for help, and ensuring that women are listened to and protected. And it will mean properly funding and supporting the safety net of refuges, so that when women are listened to and responded to, they have somewhere safe to go.

Because we can’t go on like this. We can’t end 2014 with another 140 women dead as a result of suspected male violence. We can’t read another report that highlights police failings in the case of too many of those deaths. We can’t have another day where 150 women are turned away from refuges and forced to return home, knowing that the moment of trying to leave is the most dangerous of all.