Campaign to keep women safe at night in Southampton

Pop-up safety zones could be set up in Southampton to help keep women safe at night.

£150,000 of government funding will also go towards increasing security patrols in the city centre, extra CCTV and more night buses.

Cllr Spiros Vassiliou from Southampton City Council, said: "We as a city strive to do more and will be doing more to make Southampton a safer place.

"We know through national and local evidence that it is women and girls who face higher levels of violence and harassment in public places and we want to do all that we can to reduce incidents in the city.

"With this fund, we will be working with partners to deliver several initiatives to improve safety in hotspot areas including extra security, an increased police presence and the creation of safe spaces."

The programme will enable:

• Increased visible security presence in the city centre, street security and street pastors

• Increased CCTV operation

• Radios for more licensed premises to join the existing police/licensing scheme

• Safe spaces in the night time economy venues

• Pop-up safe zone – St John Ambulance with a temporary site on busy weekends

• Increase in night buses to get students home safely

Inspector Clare Denyer from Southampton central’s neighbourhood policing team said: "Tackling violence against women and girls is not something the police can do alone.

"It requires support from a number of agencies and we can only make Southampton safer for women if we work together."

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