"Tackling violence against women and girls and ensuring everyone can enjoy public spaces and venues at night as we return to a vibrant night-time economy is a top priority for local authorities."
Responding to the Home Office’s announcement on the successful Safety of Women at Night Fund bids, Cllr Nesil Caliskan, Chair of the Local Government Association’s Safer and Stronger Communities Board, said:
“Tackling violence against women and girls and ensuring everyone can enjoy public spaces and venues at night as we return to a vibrant night-time economy is a top priority for local authorities.
“We were pleased that the Government acknowledged the need to do more to address women and girls’ safety through the ‘Safety of Women at Night Fund’. It is positive that councils were eligible to bid for funding and that 10 council projects have been successful.
“Given this is such an important issue, and the fund has been oversubscribed with bids, we are calling on the Government to increase the fund and extend it beyond March 2022.
“There is an epidemic of violent and abusive offending against women and girls in England and Wales. Councils are determined to help tackle this in our local communities, and work alongside police, the NHS, and charities to make sure we do all we can to protect women and girls from all forms of abuse.
“A whole society response is needed to give women and girls confidence that there is not just the will but also the power to improve things through cultural change. This approach must be underpinned by a government commitment to provide the appropriate long-term funding and support required to give us the best possible chance of making real progress in our efforts.”
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