This is where the argument that catcalling is ‘a compliment’ and that women should ‘just ignore it’ is proved utterly redundant.

This is where the recent decision by Nottinghamshire Police to record incidents of misogyny as a form of hate crime (to much backlash and derision) is shown to make complete sense.

This is where we realise how thin is the veil between what women are told to accept as ‘normal’ in public spaces and the very real threat to their safety.

With horrible clarity, this incident illustrates the power imbalance in our society that can make the simple act of saying ‘no’ to unwanted advances incredibly dangerous for women.

Motlagh-Phillips is far from alone. Earlier this month, it was reported that 22-year old graduate student Tiarah Poyau was shot in the face during a carnival in Brooklyn after allegedly telling a man to stop grinding against her. A woman stabbed to death on the street in Delhi last week had previously experienced unwanted attention from her assailant, with the victim’s brother claiming the man had a history of harassing his sister.