North Swindon MP Justin Tomlinson is asking women in North Swindon to participate in a survey to help improve the safety of women and girls in Swindon.
The survey is being carried out by Swindon Borough Council, working with Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, and aims to support its bid for funding from the Government’s Safer Streets Fund.
The Safer Streets Fund, which aims to:
- reduce violence against women and girls (VAWG) and increase women and girls’ feelings of safety in public spaces
- build the evidence base for what works on reducing VAWG crimes and increasing feelings of safety in the public domain
- improve both the national and local data picture regarding VAWG crimes in public spaces, which could include increased reporting for some crime types
- make public spaces safer for all
The survey will support Swindon Borough Council’s bid to the third round of Safer Streets funding, which if focusing on prevention and taking action before crimes occur, as well as increasing a general sense of safety. If successful, the funding will allow Swindon Borough Council to work with partners on a raft of support, covering prevention and support to those affected.
The information provided by contributions to the survey will give a greater understanding of how safe they feel in Swindon and how they might feel safer.
The survey closes on Thursday 8th July, and can be found here: https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=WrtLwVYdmEazRBuZlk9oeNS7e5PuHoBCncXyAZ5JZo9UOEFEVVFMVlJLUkRGR0dEOUZFOU9NNjRYUy4u
The tragic murder of Sarah Everard in March brought women’s safety in public spaces to the fore, as well as wider issues around violence against women and girls. As an MP Justin has worked closely with Suzy Lamplugh Trust and Swindon resident Elaine Pickford and Liam O’Callaghan – relatives of Sian O’Callaghan was murdered by taxi driver Christopher Halliwell .
The Suzy Lamplugh Trust works to promote personal safety and is calling for national minimum standards on taxis and private hire vehicle licensing across England and Wales. Justin has supported this work in Parliament, hosting events and meetings to further the aims and ambitions of the Suzy Lamplugh Trust.
Justin Tomlinson said: “Women have a right to feel safe in public spaces, whether that is walking home, in a pub, in a taxi or on public transport. I would encourage as many women as possible participate, it is important that we listen to women’s concerns and look at how they can be addressed. This survey will play a huge role in identifying key areas of concern and ways in which women can feel safer in public spaces.”
