by Abigail Beresford
A massive budget of more than £600,000 has been granted to the Leicester City Council by the government to improve the safety of the streets and parks in Leicester.
The announcement came on Friday last week (NOV19), with the funding aimed at making women feel safer walking the streets.
The money is set to be spent on increasing CCTV surveillance, providing police to patrol the parks at night, and educating the community on how to report inappropriate behaviour.
“This funding is fantastic news for our communities and will not only deter crime and violence, but it will also give women additional confidence when enjoying our public spaces and parks, especially when alone,” said Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Police and Crime Commissioner, Rupert Matthews in a statement released recently.
“Improving CCTV coverage and increasing police visibility around key areas of the city will go some way to making women feel safer and increasing the support available should they require help quickly.”
Parks set to see the improvements include Bede Park, Western Park, Aylestone Meadows, Victoria Park, Knighton Park, Rally Park, and Abbey Park.
Funds are also set to go towards training staff in pubs, restaurants, and clubs to identify harmful behaviour, and how to challenge and report incidents.
Following increasing reports of sexual assault in the Leicestershire area, there are new hopes of finding a solution to helping women feel safe walking the streets.
“Hearing this news gives me a bit of hope. I’ve had an awful experience walking through one of the parks not only at night but in the day, too,” said a 19-year-old student, who chose to remain nameless.
“It’s awful after a night-out. Ubers get expensive at times when clubs close on weekends, and I have no option but to spend extortionate amounts to get home. I can’t bring myself to walk through the park again.”
Helplines:
Rape Crisis 0808 802 9999
Victim Support 0808 168 9111
The Survivors Trust 0808 801 0818
