HERE’S WHAT WE WANT TO HELP US FEEL SAFER.
This week has been a lot, for many of us. Since International Women’s Day, we have been witness to the discourse surrounding Sarah Everard’s disappearance, the condemnable response to Meghan Markle’s revelations about her mental health and the revealing data that 97% of women aged 18-24 have been sexually harassed.
For some this has been another painful confirmation of everyday fears and ruminations. For others it has been an eye opening insight into the amount of thought and consideration that women have to make in order to live their everyday lives. The issue at hand is an intersectional one, and has a particularly cumulative effect for those facing other forms of descrimination whether due to race, gender identity, disability or sexuality.
Within the team at VOCAL GIRLS we have been discussing how we can move forward and ensure that women can feel safe again in their own streets. We of course recognise that wider societal change is absolutely needed, and one of the most important distinctions to be made here is that real change will come about not only through protection of girls and women, but through constructive education of boys and men.
This is also not about accusing all men being predatory or a threat to women, but we do hope the events of this week are a call to action for men. Men can help by understanding how to help women walking alone feel safe, and by calling out toxic behaviour and language when they see it.
In the short term, here’s what we want to see the government and authorities do to affect real change for women in our everyday lives:
Improved safety measures in public spaces
Many of us are very used to thinking about changing routes for our own safety. This is most important once the sun goes down, and we tend to stick to public roads with more lighting.
One of the most obvious changes to be made is to increase lighting in parks and walkways, as well as to increase CCTV to reduce the number of areas in which harassment can go unnoticed.
VG Writer Em puts it perfectly when she says “popular walking routes, such as Clapham Common, aren’t just an attraction - they’re how people get around from day to day”.
“Just stick to well-lit walking routes”
Extensively planning your journey every time you go out is a draining experience, and well-lit roads and parks can be difficult if you are unfamiliar with an area.
Features of navigation software now point us to the journey that’s all main roads, that’s shortest, that’s the least busy in the touch of a finger. We need an equivalent for identifying well-lit routes when walking - one that is free to use, verified, and government backed.
“So often I’ve been sent down multiple alleyways because it was given as the quickest route on Google Maps” - Megan, VG Founder
A 24-hour helpline for women who don’t have anyone to call
How many times have we been told to just call a friend, family member or partner if ever walking alone in the dark?
Whilst this is good advice, and can be a huge comfort when you’re feeling anxious and at risk, it’s easier said than done for some.
“Just call a friend”
Particularly for single women, those who live alone, or those working shifts, it can feel like an overreaction to call on someone ‘just to feel safe’. A freephone number set up for women to call if they don’t have anyone else at that moment in time, would be a real game-changer for so many. Ideally this would also be able to notify the police and track our location should an incident occur.
This number needs to be accessible 24/7. Women don’t just feel unsafe at night, so many of us have stories of being followed or intimidated in broad daylight - having a lifeline during daylight hours is just as important.
We do recognise that this is not an ideal solution in any case - Sarah Everard did everything that one is meant to do, including call her boyfriend, and we now know this did not work as a deterrent.
Discounted taxi fares for women travelling alone
Since we were young we’ve been told to get a taxi home, for our own safety. It’s hard to estimate the cumulative cost of this to the individual over the years. Discounted fares for women travelling alone would go some way to offset the money spent.
Taxis for solo women are not a luxury, they are a contract signed for safe passage.
“Just get a taxi”
Many of us also remember being taught ways to stay unharmed within taxis themselves, as even this does not provide a guaranteed safe haven. Companies such as Uber or Bolt could provide systems by which women are able to flag drivers to other women should they are made to feel in any way uncomfortable, as a subset of their existing general rating system.
There will of course be many legal considerations with these policies, but companies have a responsibility to look inward to see how they can help to keep their users safe.
Take us seriously
“Why didn’t you report it?”
It is super daunting to report incidents of intimidation, harassment and assault for many reasons. There’s a reason that rape and sexual assault are vastly underreported.
A 2013 study estimated that of up to 517,000 victims of sexual offences, only around 10.5% were recorded by police, and only 1% resulted in a conviction.
Will you be taken seriously? Are you being ‘overdramatic’? Will it bring back painful memories for you? Will you be able to articulate your story to the authorities? To friends? To family? Is it worth it? These worries are all valid and normal, because harassment is all about power, and by definition degrades the victim.
Personal worries also aren’t the only barrier to accurate reporting. Public sexual harassment in particular is not currently criminalised in the UK, and changing this is of vital importance when it comes to making the streets feel safer.
This 2018 inquiry into sexual harassment of women and girls in public places outlines gaps in the law, that organisations such as Our Streets Now are campaigning to close. We need to be assured that our authorities can and will effectively deal with offences once they are reported, and stricter legislation is one of the first steps to achieving this.
Educate your sons, brothers, friends
While the above may help girls and women in the short term, we are acutely aware that a cultural shift is required, and that educating on discrimination from a young age is key to achieving this.
In the immediate future, we need resources for parents and school teachers to encourage constructive and open conversation around women's issues, consent, and power dynamics at a basic level.
This conversation needs to move away from teaching girls that they can prevent male violence by moulding their actions, and towards teaching boys about their role in all of this.
Schools should also be encouraged to invite speakers, both male and female, to talk on topics of consent and violence against women. Free self-defence lessons for girls should be the norm.
We also need to see more men talking about the issues that we as women and other marginalised groups discuss at length. The shift that we need will not take place unless all of those ‘good’ guys start to challenge their male friends who do cross the line.
“We need men to reflect on the ways in which they endorse or even encourage misogyny, even if this is done unconsciously.” - Elle, VG writer
The Stand Up program is a helpful resource for allies, and they provide information and training on identifying and challenging street harassment when you see it.
What can you personally do right now?
Finally, we’ve collected some resources that we hope are helpful on a personal level over the next few weeks, when a lot of us will be on high alert:
Personal attack alarms - Beyond your typical alarm, which is often stuck at the bottom of a bag and easily lost, there are many options for your smartphone. An example recommended by VG writer Claire is Hollie Guard.
iPhone emergency SOS - Once set up, simply pressing the power button on your iPhone 5 times in a row triggers a call to the emergency services, a text to your emergency contacts, and emission of a loud siren.
*Note: These are by no means an effective long term solution, but can help ease anxieties more immediately.
Add your name to UN Women UK’s open letter for Safe & Inclusive Spaces Now
Write to your local MP, feel free to use our above examples to call for the change you want to see in your community
Petitions to sign
Organisations supporting women and girls:
Victim Support - victimsupport.org.uk, 08 08 16 89 111
The Havens - thehavens.org.uk
Samaritans - samaritans.org, 116 123
Sistah Space - sistahspace.org
Southall Black Sisters - southallblacksisters.org.uk
Resources for boys and men:
White Ribbon UK - campaign to end male violence against women
Beyond Equality - working with men and boys towards gender equality
