Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Wednesday Britain needed "a change in our culture" to tackle violence against women and girls, as he came under pressure over the government's response to the issue. The issue has been thrust into the national spotlight following the disappearance this month of 33-year-old Sarah Everard, whose remains were found in woodland last week. A serving London police officer has been charged with her kidnap and murder. Protests and vigils calling for better safety for women have been held across the country. Johnson told lawmakers during weekly questioning in parliament that his government was doing "everything that we can" to make the streets safer for women but that societal change was also needed. "Unless and until we have a change in our culture that acknowledges and understands that women currently do not feel they are being heard we will not fix this problem," he said. "We need a cultural and social change in attitudes to redress the balance... We have to address the fundamental issue of the casual everyday sexism and apathy that fails to address the concerns of women." Johnson's Conservative government has pledged to enhance police patrols at night and funding to make the streets safer, alongside a broader effort to address the problem. But opposition parties have called for broader immediate action. Labour leader Keir Starmer said Everard's death should be a "watershed moment" for tackling the "epidemic of violence against women and girls". He demanded Johnson back new legislation on street harassment and stalking, while noting the ruling Tories have repeatedly failed to deliver on a promised law designed for victims. The prime minister said the government was "always happy to look at new proposals" but would not commit to any new legislation, noting it was already taking "tougher sanctions" on stalkers. He added ministers were also conducting a review of rape laws and investing in the criminal justice system "to speed up cases and give women and girls the confidence that they need". England and Wales have strikingly low conviction rates for rape, with Starmer -- a former director of public prosecutions -- noting less than two percent of rape complaints lead to a conviction. jj/phz/mjs