WOMEN in Frome are being invited to meet with female police officers and police community support officers, to show them the areas they feel vulnerable and unsafe around the town.
This is part of Avon and Somerset Police’s new pilot, Walk and Talk initiative, which covers the whole of Somerset.
Avon and Somerset Police say, “The scheme, which was introduced by police sergeant Roseanna Green from the Wincanton and Somerton Neighbourhood Team, aims to build trust amongst women and help the police to understand areas in which women do not feel comfortable or safe.
“For example, there may be an area where women feel unsafe due to poor street lighting or because they’ve witnessed or experienced anti-social behaviour or harassment in certain locations. The initiative is part of our work to tackle violence against women and girls (VAWG).”
Police sergeant Roseanna Green said, “We know there are women out there who don’t feel completely safe walking the streets and we want those women to know that we will listen and that we are committed to doing all we can to make our streets safer.
Proactive change
“We want to take the time to have a proper conversation and build an understanding of the concerns and worries that women and girls are facing in our communities, to help us bring some positive and proactive change on our streets.”
The force is inviting women aged 18 and above who live in Frome and other areas of Somerset to get in touch and they will be paired with a female officer to take a walk at a mutually convenient time.
The walks are flexible and will last around 30 minutes, they can take place any time of day including early morning or evening, as these are often times when women feel most vulnerable due to darkness and fewer people on the streets.
Members of the public are also encouraged to report areas in which they feel unsafe via StreetSafe, a website and phone app that can be found at www.police.uk.
People can report either environmental or behavioural issues in their local communities that lead to them feeling vulnerable or unsafe which will be fed back to the police to look at what they can do, along with partner agencies, to improve women’s safety on our streets.
If you’re interested in booking a walk and talk with Avon and Somerset Police, you can register and find out more at: https://www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/apply/walk-and-talk/
Incidents
The initiative follows two recent incidents in Frome. On Sunday 27th August, on Gentle Street between 1.30am and 2am, a woman was involved in a struggle with a man wearing a balaclava, who stole cash from her bag. In the second incident, a woman was assaulted on Sunday 3rd September in the Portway/Wallbridge area at 5.30pm. A 25-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of the assault.
