A range of measures to improve town centre safety in Reading and help prevent violence against women and girls are being highlighted by the Council on White Ribbon Day.
The theme of White Ribbon Day this year is ‘We speak up’ encouraging everyone – but particularly men – to use their voices and speak up to create a world where everyone is safe, equal and respected, and to help end violence against women and girls.
Work the Council is implementing to help improve safety and support for women and girls includes:
- Addressing domestic abuse by commissioning Berkshire Women’s Aid to provide a helpline, refuge spaces, domestic violence advocates and an outreach worker
- Contributing to and supporting Reading Safe Space (on Chain Street by Bill’s Restaurant), run by the Street Pastors and providing somewhere you can go in the town centre if separated from friends, feeling ill or unsafe
- Ensuring safe rides with our active Licensing team out on a daily basis to run checks on taxis to make sure they are licensed, have the right IDs and valid paperwork and are roadworthy.
- Investing in CCTV and a control room monitored 24 hours a day, linked in with Thames Valley Police
As part of a social media campaign running for two weeks from White Ribbon Day, the Council is also highlighting the work of a number of its partners to support progress in this area, including:
- Thames Valley Police work with our night-time economy venues, including bystander training, supporting licensing checks and mounting operations such as Operation Vigilant which watches out for predatory behaviour towards women on a night out
- Reading BID’s provision of drink spiking test kits to venues so anyone can check on the spot if their drink has been spiked
- Ensuring our pubs, clubs and bars are implementing Ask for Angela, whereby women feeling unsafe on a date or concerned about unwanted attention or aggression they’re receiving can ask bar staff to “speak to Angela” which will put them on alert to tackle the situation. Night-time venues are also promoting an increase in female door supervisors to reassure female customers
The Council is also keen to ensure those who are experiencing domestic abuse, or know someone who is and need support, are aware they can call Berkshire Women’s Aid. This is a service commissioned by the Council to provide refuge services and a helpline for those who need it. The BWA helpline is 0808 801 0882 and provides a dedicated service supporting survivors of, and those grappling with, domestic abuse. Anyone in immediate danger should call 999 for the Police.
Karen Rowland, Lead Councillor for Environmental Services and Community Safety, said:
“As a regional hotspot with our vibrant night-time economy and venues, Reading can be a victim of its own success. And as with all large urban areas, we can always do more around ensuring a safe night out for everyone. We are committed to helping end violence against women and girls and I want to reassure residents that we are working hard across a wide range of issues to help make residents, in particular women and girls, feel safer in the town centre. Our clampdown on illegal taxis, ensuring our comprehensive CCTV network is fully functional and there when it is needed, and our commissioning of Berkshire Women’s Aid to provide support around domestic abuse are just a few of the ways we ensure our residents can access the help they need.
I’m also delighted that our partnerships with Reading BID, Thames Valley Police and the Street Pastors who run the Safe Space for us are all pulling together to make Reading safer, especially for women. It’s also really positive to see our night-time venues implementing the “Ask for Angela” initiative and employing a growing number of female door supervisors, acknowledging our priorities around ensuring safe nights out for women and girls. There is a lot of really good work going on in Reading which I hope reassures those women that want to enjoy a great, safe night out in Reading”.
