Women's safety survey 2022 to 2023: findings and action taken

Key findings

We carried out our first women’s safety survey from November 2022 to January 2023. The survey highlighted that over 70% of respondents felt either unsafe or very unsafe after dark. The majority of these respondents said they would stick to well-lit routes, avoiding certain areas or activities such as late-night runs. 

77% of respondents had experienced street harassment or abuse but only 16% had reported this to either the police, the Council or a community organisation. When asked why, people gave the following reasons for not reporting:

• Police enforcement on individuals not being strong enough for the harassment they had faced
• Didn’t know who or where to report
• Wanted to forget about the incident

We also asked respondents what changes they thought could be made in Camden to improve safety for women and there were recurring themes:

• Increase in police presence and female officers, especially in the evening and night-time economy in Camden and King’s Cross.
• Improving street lighting particularly in alleyways and low traffic neighbourhoods.
• Having multiple safety points rather than just one central place. For example, several shops in a geographical area.
• Promoting that Camden has zero tolerance for harassment and other violence against women and girls (VAWG) related incidents via campaigns on bus stops.
• Most respondents stated that men should become advocates for women by acting/calling out sexist, misogynistic or harassing languages and behaviours. 

Women’s safety initiatives we have implemented  

Following the survey results, we have implemented several interventions and initiatives to improve women’s safety across Camden. We have:

• increased our high visibility patrols in the night time economy by 40%
• introduced ‘The Camden Safety Bus’. Our Camden Safety bus is parked on Camden High Street, near Camden Town Tube station, on Fridays and Saturdays, 9.30pm to 2.30am. The bus offers support to anyone who feels unsafe while out and about in the evening. 
• launched In Camden we call it out’. This campaign was launched to help keep women and girls safe by encouraging people to call out and safely intervene when they witness sexual harassment or any type of inappropriate behaviour.
• increased women’s safety-led walkabouts. Led by the community and those with lived experience, our walkabouts are aimed at identifying areas where improvements can be made to make public spaces feel safer. Walkabouts regularly take place in Camden Town and Canal Towpath, Red Lion Square, Holborn, West Hampstead, Somers Town and  Queen’s Crescent
• partnered with local licensed businesses to implement the ‘Ask for Angela’ campaign, an initiative that allows women to discreetly let staff know when they feel unsafe. Additionally, we are working with the Safer Business Network to provide WAVE (Welfare and Vulnerability Engagement) training to staff, ensuring they are equipped to recognise and respond to signs of vulnerability. These partnerships with local businesses are critical in creating safer environments across Camden’s nightlife. Find out more about WAVE training.