Reducing violence against women and girls
Work is going on across the county to ensure communities are safe for women and girls.
Following the murder of Sarah Everard in March 2021, the PFCC made a commitment to bring about cultural change within society and to provide strong, consistent vocal support for the safety of women and girls.
Roger Hirst, Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex, showing his support for White Ribbon Day.
The Commissioner has spent time listening to women and girls, the organisations that support victims of male violence against women and working with partners, such as Essex County Council, to get a better understanding of how women and girls feel in different areas and places across Essex.
Working with council partners, education providers and communities, the Commissioner has identified areas where women and girls feel unsafe and secured government funding, through the Safer Streets fund, to improve them.
The latest area of focus is in Chelmsford, where the Commissioner secured £550,000.
The funding is being used to improve street lighting and fencing, encourage volunteering to manage landscaping, fund a university student based initiative to create community solutions to safety concerns, run community safety days, fund youth engagement and develop a digital engagement programme.
Other activities involve engagement with schools, football clubs and theatre groups to generate a conversation about safety and actions and what everyone can do to help spaces feel and be safer for everybody.
The force is also investing in support services, including counselling, advocacy and therapeutic support for victims of crime.
