Action being taken


T


hroughout 2023, City Security magazine, in partnership with the City of London Crime Prevention Association and CSSC, is putting the spotlight on initiatives, ideas and action being taken to tackle and prevent violence against women and girls and domestic abuse.


Here we provide a collection of related training and updates:


Safer Business Network training events


Safer Business Network is a Community Interest Company, bringing businesses together with the police to create safe, successful and profitable town and city centres through information sharing, collaboration and upskilling.


London is a safe city, but too many women feel unsafe when travelling, working or socialising, both during the day and at night. Safer Business Network has been working with stakeholders to prioritise women’s safety in London. We work with the City of London Police, the City of London Corporation, and licensed venues to help keep people safe while enjoying a night out. Together we have delivered the WAVE Programme, including Ask for Angela, for staff teams across the City’s diverse and vibrant hospitality sector, with 95% of people saying the training has positively affected how they will work in the future.


People who feel unsafe, vulnerable or threatened can seek discreet help by approaching staff and asking them for ‘Angela’. This code-phrase will indicate to staff that the peron requires help with their situation and a trained member of staff will then look to support and assist them. The venue can then support the vulnerable person through an appropriate intervention.


There are many ways you can get involved


We run free training events across the year. Register at wave@saferbusiness.org.uk. We also host monthly online WAVE sessions for staff and security www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/wave- ask-for-angela-level-2-training-course-online-ticke ts-630657813497


17 © CITY SECURITY MAGAZINE – SUMMER 2023


to tackle Violence against Women and Girls and Domestic Abuse in 2023


We all have a part to play in keeping women and girls safe, and your intervention could make all the difference.


Hannah Wadey, Safer Business Network www.saferbusiness.org.uk


The City of London Police responds to Violence against Women and Girls


The City of London Police works in partnership with the City of London Corporation to continually enhance the City of London’s response to violence against women and girls. Below, we highlight some of the initiatives that support this partnership and the delivery of the objectives of the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s (NPCC) violence against women and girls strategy.


Improving trust and confidence in policing


The City of London Police is committed to improving internal and external trust and confidence. The new Policing Plan outlines the operational priority to keep those who live, work, and visit the City safe and feel safe. We know that we must do more to earn the trust and confidence of our communities: in particular, women and girls. To achieve this, we must ensure that our officers and staff uphold the highest professional standards.


Commissioner Angela McLaren recently said in our internal communication strategy: “We’ve increased awareness of behaviours and conduct that are unacceptable, giving you the confidence to raise concerns, and highlighted the different routes through which these can be reported. We have reviewed historic cases, taking the learning from these; and strengthened our vetting processes. It’s the responsibility of everyone working in policing to restore public trust in the service we provide. We are committed to improving


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and are acting decisively to ensure that we consistently deliver the highest professional standards to all the communities we serve.”


As part of improving external trust and confidence, the City of London Police has launched a new Inclusivity Programme This is a force-wide initiative aiming to provide a contemporary, engaging approach to diversity and inclusion education.


Instead of a one-off classroom course, officers and staff can choose from a menu of activities on various aspects of diversity and inclusion. Staff must engage in at least one of the sessions every six months as part of their continuing professional development.


There is a wide range of activities, including:


• Community Day Initiatives – officers and staff can spend time in an organisation within their local community that they may not usually interact with (such as a charity or church group), reflecting back on their experiences in a blog or journal entry.


• Bystander training, supporting learners to actively challenge inappropriate comments or behaviour in relation to race.


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