Do women feel safe in Leicester?

In the three years since Sarah Everard, 33, was raped and killed as she walked home in London, the spotlight has been on gender-based violence. As a new action plan is launched across the county to protect women and girls, we asked women in Leicester for their views on whether or not they feel safe in the city.

LeicestershireLive spoke to students, parents, an artist who had recently moved from London and the sisters who regularly visit Leicester to sample the food. Many felt Leicester was safe during the day, but that changed in the evening, although one said it was “the same anywhere for women”.

A 19-year-old student felt that the police force in general needed to do a “better job of recognising” that it can be “scary” for women, while another woman from Spinney Hills felt that the city “needs something”, like being more visible. police patrols.

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Kathy, 45, from South Leicester, said she felt safe in the city during the day but not at night. She said: “We have a bit of a problem, particularly with drinking.

“There are quite a few homeless people around; I’m fine, but my teenage daughters would feel a little unsafe in certain areas at night.”

Marian, 22, lives on London Road in Leicester and agreed. “At the moment I’m fine, but if it’s later in the evening when it gets dark, it’s pretty empty with the odd homeless man,” she said.

Ruth, from Oadby, 54, said she wished there weren’t “so many” electric bikes and scooters. “You have to look behind you all the time to see if you’re about to get hit,” she said.

“You have several gangs of young men with face coverings. (However) I don’t think Leicester is bad as far as cities go.”

Beth Lyons, 27, is a performer working in London and recently moved to central Leicester because of the cheaper rents compared to the capital and the city’s transport links. She felt Leicester was a “pretty safe place”.

She said: “But there is often an issue with the homelessness crisis that makes (Leicester) feel a bit more uncomfortable. It is only in pockets right in the center of the city.

“I think the way he approaches people is quite intimidating. Coming from London, we see a lot of homeless people, but I think you see quite a lot of aggression with some of them (in Leicester).

“I think there needs to be more support to help people off our streets. Because I don’t think they have any alternative.

Harsha, 19, and Milica, 18, are students at the University of Leicester. They said they did not feel safe at night in Leicester but said “this is anywhere for women”.

Harsha said she “never felt safe on campus,” while Milica always took “precautions” and said you should always “be aware of your surroundings.”

She said: “I feel that overall the police can do a better job of acknowledging that it is scary for women and taking women more seriously that they are concerned. You have to think about your sisters, your daughters and your friends.”

Harsha said he believes concerns can sometimes be “quite far removed”. “It’s overlooked and can become pervasive,” she said.

Milica said: “I guarantee you that if you ask any woman, she has experienced some form of harassment or assault. It’s all about educating people from a young age and who you were raised and surrounded by.”

Asked if she felt safe, Fatima Sacranie, 40, of Spinney Hills, said “definitely not”. “The homeless, the drug numbers, (it’s) far from the high street it was in the nineties when I was a kid.

“Our work outlets are in Nottingham and it’s a long way from what Leicester City is. I think the council did nothing.

“Yes, they have a problem with homelessness, but it’s not as bad as Leicester. They come to you and yell at you if you don’t give them money.

“I think they need something, whether it’s council presence, police presence. Let’s be honest, there aren’t many people around. It makes you think about where the taxes are going.”

Sisters Aqsha, 23, and Almas, 25, Mohamedrafi, visit Leicester for food. They said they both “felt safe” in the city.

Almas said: “We moved (from Leicester) because of our job opportunities, it’s very overcrowded. We often go back to Leicester for food, we have different types around here, Chinese, Indian, Asian. The people here are friendly and nice and quite welcoming.”

In March, Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Police and Crime Commissioner Rupert Matthews unveiled a “joint new action plan” to try to protect women and girls.

The strategy outlines the key ways in which public sector agencies will prevent and respond to crimes such as rape, sexual assault, stalking, domestic abuse, honor-based violence and other gender-based violence over the next three years. The PCC office said the strategy was developed in consultation with survivors of lived experience of VAWG (Violence against Women and Girls), young people and stakeholders, and the voice of victims will remain central to the implementation of the strategy.

It said the plan would be based on evidence that early intervention can prevent violence and other crimes from escalating. It sets out five basic priorities:

• Preventing violence against women and girls

• Responding to violence against women and girls

• Supporting victims and survivors

• Including people with lived experience in service design

• Strengthening the VAWG sector in all LLR communities

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