Mar 3, 2022 | Press Releases, Safe Derby
Improved CCTV coverage and better lighting in potential crime hot spots will be completed by Derby City Council in the coming weeks as part of a programme aimed at preventing violence against women and girls in public places.
The capital works is part of the £550,000 Safe Derby programme and campaign, backed by the Home Office’s Safer Streets funding stream.
Work in the city will include:
- Upgrading the CCTV control room in the city centre to improve radio communications and police response times
- Installing additional CCTV cameras in the city centre – particularly in areas around school, college and university campuses – as well as in Chaddesden and Racecourse parks.
- Providing better lighting on footpaths in the Racecourse Park and on the cycle route between Brackens Lane and Boulton Lane.
- Undertaking grounds maintenance, such as cutting back foliage, in various parks and on main pedestrian, cycle and student routes.
Councillor Matthew Eyre, Cabinet Member for Place and Community Development said: “Funding secured through the Office of Derbyshire Police and Crime Commissioner has enabled us to work with community partners to develop a raft of measures to improve safety for women and girls in our city.
“Through the capital works programme, our objective is to improve feelings of safety for women and girls and, indeed, the wider community, with better lighting in areas that local community groups and residents tell us they are wary to frequent after dark.
“CCTV is a proven method to prevent and protect and, by upgrading the control room and improving radio communications, we will be able to better share information with our colleagues at Derbyshire Police to ensure response resources are deployed where and when needed.”
The work is in addition to the Safe Derby campaign which is jointly led by Derby City Council and other voluntary and community sector partners including local specialist child exploitation charity Safe and Sound, Derby County Community Trust and Derby Community Action.
The overarching objective of the campaign is to signal Derby’s zero tolerance towards, and promotion of a city free from, gender-based violence, abuse, harassment and exploitation and includes a series of workshops, training, events and new initiatives.
Tracy Harrison is CEO of Safe and Sound, the Derby-base charity which supports children, young people and families across Derbyshire who are affected by child exploitation.
She added: “The Safe Derby campaign has three key strands: prevention, awareness and action and the CCTV and lighting programmes are welcome news.
“By taking a multi-faceted approach of practical measures and increased awareness, we are sending out a clear message across local communities that this city has a zero tolerance to gender-based violence.”
Feb 23, 2022 | News, Safe Derby
Free workshops have been organised across the city aimed at empowering women and girls who are concerned about their personal safety.
The Get Home Safely workshops are run by Derby-company MAX Conflict Management as part of the Safe Derby campaign.
The workshops are being delivered for members of the public as well as to groups of women and girls in partnership with several community organisations in the city.
The aim is to raise awareness about personal safety; empowering and raising attendees’ confidence with practical ways to be more assertive to take control in conflict situations and methods of reasonable force for self protection.
The next three hour workshop is on Sunday March 6 in Derby starting at 2.30pm and places can be booked free of charge at https://www.eventbrite.ie/o/max-training-amp-development-8313931973
Martial arts expert, author and qualified trauma therapist Mark Wingfield set up MAX Conflict Management in 2006 and has since provided the Get Home Safe – Every Day and a range of other self protection training sessions around the world.
He explained: “The workshops are focused on empowering women and girls to have the confidence to take control and be assertive with their voice and body language when they receive unwanted attention, are approached or feel threatened and how to use reasonable force if necessary.
“The overall aim is to stay safe and buying yourself the time to get away from a conflict situation.
“We work through different practical scenarios with role play in a safe and supportive environment so that everyone is more confident if the situation arises.”
Mr Wingfield continued: “Body language is very important and we work a lot on looking confident when out in public places – however you are feeling inside.
“We also talk about the myths of getting your phone out and pretending to talk to someone which is counter-productive. If you are on the phone you are actually distracted from what is going on.
“Similarly, if you are walking or running in a park with headphones on, you are far less aware of your surroundings and particularly can’t hear if anyone approaches you from behind.
“We also talk about the potential red flags that women should be aware of – such as someone stopping them to ask the time. In that situation we advise them to give the time if they wish but absolutely to keep on walking. Don’t show attractive valuables to tell the time to a stranger.
“If a car pulls up, turn and walk in the other direction and head for a place of safety such as into a shop or even knock on a door.”
Mr Wingfield continued that assertive use of voice was the first line of defence.
“Talking calmly and loudly to back away or shouting ‘leave me alone’ usually stops people in their tracks and gives you the opportunity to get away.
“Maintaining personal boundary space is also important and assertively putting your hands up immediately puts a barrier, or fence, in place.
“In the training, to cater for worst case scenario, participants are invited to fight me off. They are totally safe because of all the protective padding I wear. We teach three highly effective strikes which will immediately disable and enable an escape. These work for everyone under pressure and against any size of attacker.”
Among the women who have recently attended one of the Get Home Safely free workshops is 59-year-old Linda.
She was becoming increasingly nervous about going out in the evening to meet up with friends – particularly concerned about parking and then walking to a venue alone.
Her anxiety had been compounded by memories of being carjacked several years ago when she was pounced on by two men in a supermarket carpark who grabbed her keys and drove off in her car.
“I heard about the workshops and plucked up the courage to book a place because, being a single woman, I was feeling increasingly vulnerable about going out in the evening.
“It has given me so much more confidence to be assertive and take control of a situation which I have already had to put into practice when I was approached by a woman asking strange questions one evening.
“I put my hands up as a barrier and moved away quickly as the situation just didn’t feel right.
“It is a sad reality that, as women and girls, we have to think twice about going about our daily lives but I personally feel much more empowered now to go out – albeit taking sensible precautions such as parking in well lit areas and checking out routes in unfamiliar places.”
Safe Derby is backed by the Home Office’s Safer Streets initiative and led by Derby City Council and other voluntary and community sector partners including local specialist child exploitation charity Safe and Sound, Derby County Community Trust and Derby Community Action.
The overarching objective of the campaign is to signal Derby’s zero tolerance towards, and promotion of a city free fromgender-based violence, abuse, harassment and exploitation.
A series of workshops, training, events and new initiatives will be organised in the coming weeks with further activity then planned on key dates later in the year.
Councillor Matthew Eyre, Cabinet Member for Place and Community Development said: “The feedback from women and girls who have attended the Get Home Safely workshops so far has been very encouraging.
“They have spoken about how they feel far more empowered and confident to go about their business, particularly at night, where previously they may have felt nervous or worried.
“This is just one of the many practical actions we have organised as part of Safe Derby but my wider appeal is that everyone in our local communities makes a stand against gender-based violence.
“We all need to be aware of potential situations and taking appropriate action – whether that is asking someone if they are alright or calling the police if they see a situation unfolding or a crime taking place.
“Every woman and girl has the right to freedom of movement and we all have a responsibility to ensure Derby is a safe place to live, work and enjoy.”
For more information about Safe Derby visit https://www.safeandsoundgroup.org.uk/safederby/ and follow on social media #Safe Derby. For more information about MAX Conflict Management visit http://www.maxconflictmanagement.com/
Feb 18, 2022 | Press Releases, Safe Derby
An awareness campaign has been launched to rally communities across the city to tackle, challenge and prevent violence against women and girls in public places.
The ‘Safe Derby’ Campaign is backed by the Home Office’s Safer Streets funding stream – secured by the Derbyshire Police and Crime Commissioner.
It is jointly led by Derby City Council and other voluntary and community sector partners including local specialist child exploitation charity Safe and Sound, Derby County Community Trust and Derby Community Action.
The overarching objective of the campaign is to signal Derby’s zero tolerance towards, and promotion of a city free from, gender-based violence, abuse, harassment and exploitation.
A series of workshops, training, events and new initiatives will be organised in the coming weeks with further activity then planned on key dates later in the year.
These activities are in addition to an extensive capital programme planned by Derby City Council, again with Home Office funding, and in consultation with local residents and community groups to upgrade CCTV in the City Centre and improve lighting in streets, footpaths, cycle paths, parks and subways in areas identified as potential crime hotspots.
Activities planned include:
- The launch of Safer Places, which will create a network of easily identifiable premises and locations, initially in the city centre where women and girls can safely retreat if they are feeling threatened or uncomfortable either during the day or at night.
- Get Home Safely workshops for groups of women and girls across the city. The practical workshops will focus on the elements of awareness – self, situational and behavioural; how to be assertive rather than passive or aggressive and use of reasonable force.
- Active Bystander training for school pupils, community groups and key service providers such as taxi drivers, taxi marshals and community leaders. This is in light of research which shows that bystander intervention can be an effective way of stopping sexual assault before it happens, as bystanders play a key role in preventing, discouraging, and/or intervening when an act of violence has the potential to occur.
- Awareness workshops for years six and seven school pupils to raise awareness of violence against women and girls and the consequences of peer-on-peer abuse.
- The launch of the city’s ‘Allies of Women’ campaign which includes a hard-hitting video is being produced featuring male role models from the city who pledge their support for tackling violence against women and girls and a call out to local businesses and organisations to sign up to the national White Ribbon programme.
Councillor Matthew Eyre, Cabinet Member for Place and Community Development said: “The rights and needs of women and girls are at the heart of the ‘Safe Derby’ Campaign and the capital works to improve CCTV coverage and lighting in key public spaces.
“Women and girls fear and experience various types of violence in public spaces, from unwanted sexual remarks, to touching, to rape and serious violence. It happens on streets, in and around public transportation, in schools and workplaces, in public toilets and parks.
“This reality reduces women’s and girls’ freedom of movement and their ability to study and work, access essential services, participate in public life, and enjoy recreation opportunities. This is simply not acceptable.
“Girls and women have told us of the barriers they face using public spaces. Many girls and women avoid certain places in the city on their own, especially during hours of darkness.”
Tracy Harrison is CEO of Safe and Sound, the Derby-base charity which supports children, young people and families across Derbyshire who are affected by child exploitation.
She continued: “From our experience as a specialist child exploitation charity, young girls are particularly vulnerable to online grooming, sexual exploitation, trafficking, modern slavery, radicalisation and increasingly grooming by drugs gangs running County Lines.
“We were therefore keen to be part of Safe Derby which has three key strands of prevention, awareness and action and be involved in the wider campaign to bring violence against women and girls to the top of the agenda.
“Our goal is to make Safe Derby an important starting point to raising wider awareness of the issue and to empower everyone in our local communities to play their part in tackling gender-based violence.”
Derbyshire Police and Crime Commissioner, Angelique Foster, said: “I want everyone in Derbyshire to feel safe and be safe. However, it is a fact that some crimes disproportionately affect women and girls and we need to focus efforts and resources to fight these specific crimes.”
“In securing this funding for Derby City, I made it clear that I wanted to see all partners working together to reduce violence against women and girls and increase their feelings of safety in public spaces.
“I know this is important to the residents of Derby and Derbyshire and it is very important to me too. That’s why tackling violence against women and girls is a key element of my Police and Crime Plan.
“In welcoming these initiatives, which are designed to drive down crime and enhance public safety, I also want to assure residents that I will closely scrutinise the success of this work so that together we can build on best practice and improve public safety.”
Emma’s Story
Safe Derby was today welcomed by 38-year-old Emma (not her real name) whose awareness of the dangers facing women and young girls in public places and self defence training thwarted a would-be attacker.
Emma had previously been prompted to attend a course with MAX Conflict, who are running ‘Get Home Safely’ workshops as part of Safe Derby, after a friend was a victim of stalking.
This training was foremost in her mind when she was walking to her local shop near her home in Derby in broad daylight and she was approached by a man driving a moped.
“I noticed him slowing down near me and immediately felt uncomfortable. He asked me the time and I knew from the workshop that this was a common ploy.
“As directed in the training, I turned in the opposite direction, started to walk away and told him dismissively that it was about 4pm.
“He turned around and drove past me again and then pulled up just as I was approaching a derelict house on the street. By the time he got off the moped and came towards me I was on high alert.
“He was calling out really lewd comments and when he reached towards me I shouted at him to back away and leave me alone – again which is what we had been taught in the workshop.
“The last thing he evidently wanted was attention from passers by and he sped off. I ran home in tears and was shaking like a leaf.
“I rang the police straight away as my main thought was whether he would do it again – or worse – to someone else.
“I saw him again on his moped and contacted the police with his registration number. He originally denied it and the police were reluctant to follow this through as it was my word against his.
“However, I was adamant that I wanted to press charges as I felt that this was not an opportunistic crime but that he was hell bent on intimidating me – or worse.
“Eventually he was given a Restorative Justice Order which included him writing me an apology. That would have stayed on his file and I hope that it was a deterrent to him not to intimidate another woman – or worse.
Emma continued that she believed the incidence of violence against women and girls was under- reported.
“Any woman who has any experience like this – or indeed any experience that makes them feel scared or uneasy – must report it. The police are much more receptive now and it’s important that incidents are recorded.
“I had a mixture of emotions after this incident including a feeling of shame that I had been the target of this man. I am sure other women feel reluctant to speak up in case they are judged or, worse, victim-blamed for what happened to them.
“As women, we should be able to dress how we want and go where we want without fear of being intimidated or attacked and I strongly believe that a lot of men do not appreciate how uncomfortable and vulnerable many women and girls feel.
“It is therefore important that we speak out to raise awareness and encourage everyone to talk about this issue and very much welcome the Safe Derby campaign which will not only do that but also empower women and girls to both speak out and protect themselves and others.”
Events open to the public as part of Safe Derby will be confirmed over the coming weeks but the ‘Get Home Safely’ free workshops are available to book now online https://www.eventbrite.ie/o/max-training-amp-development-8313931973
