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MORE than 150 businesses in Exeter have now signed up to Safer Exeter’s Safety of Women at Night (SWaN) Charter and committed to keeping people safer when they spend time in this fantastic city. There has been a tremendous response from businesses to the Charter which, by signing, commits each to making Exeter a safer place for women at night.
Pubs, restaurants, bars, night clubs, hotels, taxi firms, cinemas, gyms, supermarkets and shops have all committed their names to paper in the pursuit of safety.
Written and published by Safer Exeter the Charter has been developed as part of the city’s commitment to keeping the city a safe place, where women feel confident and safe at night.
The Charter is a voluntary pledge to prioritise the safety of women and to acknowledge it is the
Businesses commit to city-wide approach to reducing violence
responsibility of all of us to take practical steps together to keep our city safe for everyone.
This Charter unites organisations in a city-wide approach to reducing violence against women and girls.
Community Safety Partnership, said the Charter helps address the causes and effects of violence against women and girls in our city.
commitment to keeping all women and girls safe,” he said.
“In signing the charter, they commit voluntarily, on behalf of their organisation, to deliver on the Charter's pledges and commitments.
PeterScargill, chair of Exeter’s
“The Charter and associated toolkit gives businesses a framework in which to show their
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STAMP Out Spiking was one of the groups successful in bidding for funding from Safer Exeter’s Community Sparks fundreceiving £2,000 to help develop its training course to identify and deal with spiking and for a poster campaign to promote antispiking messages with businesses and community groups.
Stamp out Spiking is a nonprofit organisation dedicated to safeguarding drink spiking and spiking related crimes. Awareness is the key to prevention and we want to reach as many people as possible through three training options available.
The organisation offers the first accredited course in the United Kingdom to businesses such as pubs, bars and nightclubs, holiday parks, hotels and restaurants.
But the course is also relevant to HR departments looking to strengthen their health & safety, safeguarding and harassment policies, security firms, student bodies, and psychology, criminology, law, toxicology or sociology student groups
The course content helps organisations feel confident they have safeguarded their organisation and that staff know how to act.
against spiking?
• Immediate actions: what to do if you are made aware of a victim.
• How easy is it to spike a drink?
• Correct policy, procedure and risk assessment to put in place.
Stamp Out Spiking can also
Ms Dines has been campaigning on spiking issues for nearly two decades and was called as an expert witness at the home affairs committee Westminster. She also sits on the working group through the Department of Education to prepare a paper for Universities to implement and protect students from this horrific crime.
If you would like any help or advice on safeguarding on spiking issues, please get in contact with Dawn at info@stampoutspiking.org
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“We will ask businesses to recommit to the charter annually but we will help them to deliver by providing regular training updates, signposting to specialist providers and guidance, and sharing national best practice.
MORE than 30 people attended an open evening at St Stephen’s Church in late February to hear about volunteering opportunities at Exeter’s Safe Space.
The Safe Space is Exeter’s safe haven for anyone enjoying a night out in the heart of the city and is recruiting volunteers to help improve the safety of women and girls. The recruitment event was for anyone interested in joining the volunteer programme and it was very well supported with the first training cohort over-subscribed after the event.
The Safe Space has three main purposes - providing light medical treatment (cuts, sprains, recovery, blisters), welfare support (like phone charging, water, safety alarms, bottle tops, change of clothes) and a safe place to wait for night buses. It is open three nights a week Wednesday (term time), Friday and Saturday – from 23:00 to 03:30am.
“We were very pleased with the response to the evening and
number of people both signing up and those who just wanted to learn more about what a volunteer would be doing during a shift,” said Ann Hunter, from InExeter, who manages the Safe Space.
“The volunteering programme will offer many opportunities to learn new skills and meet people. And it will help us to make Exeter an even safer place for everybody.”
The Safe Space is a facilitated by InExeter and funded by Safer Exeter with a grant from the Government’s Safer Streets scheme.
It works closely with agencies and partners such as Exeter street pastors, the police, Exeter Business Against Crime, Best Bar None, the LVA and others to deliver the service.
If you are interested in finding out more on the Safe Space visit the website: https:// www.exetersafespace.com (currently in build) or email: info@exetersafespace.com
“We would encourage anyone planning to go out in the city to look out for the stickers which are displayed by venues to show they have signed the Charter because you know they are committed to keeping you safe.
“If your local or places you visit regularly aren’t showing a sticker ask them if they have signed the charter and if not, why not?”
You can find out which organisations have signed up to the charter or, how your organisation can sign up, here: exeter.gov.uk/cleansafe-city/ community-safety/ safety-of-women-atnight-charter/ committing-to-thecharter/
PRINCESSHAY was the launchpad for a public information campaign aimed at tackling harassment of women and girls in Exeter last month.
The campaign, Exchange The Norm, encourages people to intervene in a safe and skilful way, if they witness inappropriate behaviour in public places, started when a massive projection of its key messages flashed across the vacant
Topshop building in Princesshay. Representatives from Safer Exeter, and key delegates from the Exeter business community, attended the event to witness the projection and raise awareness of the campaign.
The campaign focuses on the need for positive action from the Exeter community, spurring people to step up and do the right thing when they witness women at risk in public spaces. It aims to encourage people to access advice and resources to help them intervene safely.
These resources include free bystander intervention training, where people are given the opportunity to develop crucial skills to help stop harassment in public places.
Since the launch posters have appeared in key locations across the city each highlighting situations that many people find uncomfortable but don’t quite know how to handle them. There is also a social media campaign across Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
To find out more about the Safer Exeter campaign, visit: exeter.gov.uk/clean-safe-city/ community-safety/safer-exeter/ exeter-safer-streets-projects/#4