New Police app to keep women and girls safe in Wiltshire
Unsafe areas in the county can be flagged to the force
Wiltshire Police are welcoming a new app which allows members of the public report areas they feel unsafe in.
The pilot for 'Streetsafe' was launched last Thursday by the Government with support from the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC).
The app is aimed primarily at women and girls but the force understand the importance for people to feel safe when out and about and they are working hard with a range of initiatives, supported by their partners to tackle this issue.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
The tool will enable members of the public to anonymously drop a pin onto a map and describe factors that cause them concern, including behavioural or environmental reasons why they felt unsafe.
These could range from a poorly-lit walkway to instances of public harassment, and will mean concerns can be raised with police whether or not a crime has been committed.
The information will be used alongside other key data by the Force, in partnership with stakeholders, to deliver improved wellbeing and safety for communities.
While it has not been designed to report crime, they are encouraging more women and girls to come forward and report crimes like sexual harassment through existing channels.
Det Supt Sarah Robbins, Wiltshire Police lead for violence against women and girls, said: “At Wiltshire Police we are striving every day to make our streets safer for everyone in our communities.
“This includes a concerted effort to tackle violence against women and girls to ensure they feel safe from harassment, sexual abuse and assaults, when walking the streets.
“The StreetSafe pilot will enable us to improve our understanding and intelligence picture around the concerns of the public and where they don’t feel safe which will help us form a better response.
“Our aim is always to prevent crimes such as sexual assaults before they happen, but when this isn’t possible we ensure support for victims is a top priority.”
In a non-emergency, the public can call 101 but, in an emergency, always dial 999.
You can report a crime online here and find support if you are a victim here.