Top clubs join Night Czar's pioneering programme to keep London women safe at night

Nighclubs and councils across the capital have signed up to a pioneering new plan introduced to keep women in London safe at night.

Night Czar Amy Lamé has unveiled a new plan aimed at protecting women out in the capital at night and is urging businesses and organisations to give their support.

Live Nation UK, Ministry of Sound, the O2, the Met Police and TfL are among those who have already signed up.

The Mayor’s Women’s Night Safety Charter, a collaboration between Ms Lamé and Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime Sophie Linden, is the first of its kind covering the entire capital.

It sets out guidance for venues, operators, charities, councils and businesses to improve safety at night for women such as better training of staff, encouraging the reporting of harassment, and ensuring public spaces are safe.

The charter aims to help lower the risk of crime against women when they are working or enjoying a night out.

Ms Lamé said she is “determined to make London the safest and most welcoming city in the world”.

“Everyone has a role to play in ensuring the safety of women at night and through the Mayor’s Women’s Night Safety Charter we’re helping to provide a supportive environment for those working, travelling or enjoying our capital at night.”

“We all have a responsibility to tackle the status quo and there is much more work to be done to stop sexual harassment,” Rommel Moseley, of Drinkaware, added.

“No one should be having to deal with unwanted sexual advances, harassment or intimidation and we are delighted to be adding our name and voice to efforts to tackle it.”

The seven-step programme

The commitments – based on the pillars of reporting, responding, taking responsibility and redesigning public spaces – are:

• Nominate a champion in your organisation who actively promotes women’s night safety

• Demonstrate to staff and customers that your organisation takes women’s safety at night seriously, for example through a communications campaign

• Tell staff what to do if they experience harassment when working, going out or travelling

• Encourage reporting by victims and bystanders as part of your communications campaign

• Train staff to ensure that all women who report are believed

• Train staff to ensure that all reports are recorded and responded to

• Design your public spaces and work places to make them safer for women at night

One of the councils to sign up was Lambeth. Councillor Lib Peck, leader of the council and co-chair of the Violence Against Women and Girls, said: “We take the safety of women at night incredibly seriously and think it’s vital that we do all we can to ensure a safe environment for women.

“We’re proud to be one of the first signatories of the Mayor’s Women’s Night Safety Charter and are committed to delivering these important pledges to make Lambeth even more welcoming at night.”