Initiatives announced to protect Liverpool women at night

Organisations across Liverpool are collaborating to tackle the safety of women and girls in the city at night.

A consultation with women and girls in Liverpool highlighted fear of sexual harassment and violence, particularly when travelling in and out of the city centre at night.

This is in line with the national picture, with studies finding that the risk of sexual violence is high in locations associated with the night-time economy, and women are 11 times more likely to be the victim of assault or rape than men.

To tackle the issue, Liverpool City Council is working with Merseyside Police, the city’s universities, and rape and sexual abuse support charity RASA Merseyside.

The planned initiatives include a visual campaign which reinforces the message that women should not be pressured into non-consensual sexual activity that will be displayed on digital billboards, taxis and inside bars and nightclubs, and training for bar and club staff to identify and prevent sexual assaults.

The scheme will also see dedicated police officers tasked with identifying potential perpetrators who are displaying signs of predatory behaviour, as well as preventing sexual violence in the city’s night time economy, as part of Merseyside Police’s Operation Empower.

RASA will also use the ‘It’s not me it’s you’ campaign to address victim blaming culture, reframing attitudes to victims in the city.

Mayor of Liverpool, Joanne Anderson, said: ‘These are shocking statistics and we are committed to working with partners across the city to make sure women are safe in Liverpool – particularly now that life is slowly returning to normal and our night time economy has mostly opened up.

‘We are striving to end these appalling crimes, and by using thought-provoking messaging on digital platforms we can educate people about sexual violence – the key is to focus on preventing these crimes from happening in the first place.

‘Together we can raise awareness and hopefully reduce the number of assaults and make our streets safe for everyone. It’s a sad reflection on our society that we have to do this, but everyone has the right to feel safe in our city and this campaign is an important step towards that goal.’

In related news, Bristol will pilot a 12-month trial offering safe accommodation with intensive support to victims of domestic abuse and violence.

Photo by Michael Discenza