PCC secures £400,000 to increase the safety of Women and Girls

Last Updated: 07-10-2021 at 11:10

A NEW phone app that will allow women to ask for their walk home to be monitored on CCTV is part of a new project to be launched in Lincoln.

The £400,000 scheme has been given Government backing after a bid for funding by Lincolnshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner.

The money for the plan – developed in partnership with the City of Lincoln Council – comes from the Government’s Safer Streets Fund and incudes:

Education – developing curriculum materials for Key Stage 5 which promote women’s rights and challenge attitudes that can lead to gender-based violence.
Awareness campaign – fund a campaign to change attitudes, challenging social norms based on gender stereotypes, challenging victim-blaming attitudes, and promoting positive behaviour.
Reporting – encourage more reporting of crimes, improve prosecution rates and create a significant deterrent to perpetrators.
Night Safety Charter – create a charter asking organisations to pledge to design public spaces and work places to make them safer for women at night and nominate a champion to actively promotes women’s night safety.
Training - re-launch the Ask for Angela campaign, promote the use of the Hollie Guard app and commission training for bar staff, door staff, taxi drivers and local hotel staff regarding vulnerability and tackling predators.
CCTV - broaden the city council’s Lincoln city centre CCTV coverage to include the main walking routes out of the city centre and in three areas which have significant student populations, and upgrade the existing server and control room equipment to meet the extra demand.
App - develop an app which would enable users to make their location known to the council’s CCTV control room, and that they are happy to be monitored where possible.

All elements of the plan will be co-developed with women and girls and experts in the field.

“The project is one of the most significant steps ever taken to protect women and girls in Lincoln,” said Mr Jones.

“It is designed to tackle the problem of keeping them safe through education, technology, training, heightened awareness and partnership working and I hope this holistic approach will provide long lasting solutions.

“This is just one step on a journey towards ensuring women and girls can be and feel safe but I believe it is a very important one.”

Cllr Sue Burke, Portfolio Holder for Reducing Inequality at City of Lincoln Council said: “Safety is a high priority at the city council and we are proud to be collaborating with our partners to deliver this app and the extended coverage of our CCTV cameras.

“Adding that extra layer of reassurance during an evening will help give both residents and visitors peace of mind when walking alone at night, and we look forward to working with our contractors in developing the app.”

The Lincoln-based bid is the third successful Safer Streets bid for Lincolnshire. So far the PCC has brought £500,000 in additional funding to the county for projects in the north and east coast.