#SaferStreetsMerseyside

Our streets, our safety

#NoExcuse

Safer Streets eye

#SaferStreetsMerseyside aims to address sexual offences and unwanted sexual behaviour across transport routes within Merseyside and Liverpool City Centre. It aims to provide reassurance to women and girls, and increase feelings and perceptions of public safety on public transport.

It is delivered by Merseyside’s Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) and Liverpool City Council, in partnership with Merseyside Police, Merseyside Violence Reduction Partnership (VRP), RASA Merseyside, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU), and Culture Liverpool, using money from the UK Home Office’s Safer Streets Fund.

The campaign is also being supported by the region’s four other Local Authorities and a wide range of partners, including local businesses and schools.

 

Every woman and girl I speak to has a story to tell about a bad experience they’ve had when using public transport. Whether it’s men sitting too close, unwanted sexual touching, or sexualised comments.

“Too many women don’t feel safe going to work or meeting friends on a night out. That’s why we’ve launched Safer Streets Merseyside.

“We must make every woman and girl feel safer and be safer using our public transport network.

Emily Spurrell
Police and Crime Commissioner
for Merseyside

54%
of women felt unsafe using public transport in Merseyside at night
42%
of women had concerns about using public transport in Merseyside during the day
80.37%
of women said that poor or no street lighting contributed to feeling unsafe
58.51%
of women said that no or limited CCTV contributed to feeling unsafe

Action

The ideas and suggestions gained from the consultation helped inform our bid and we created the following actions:

  • Bystander training for bus drivers and other transport staff to help them understand sexual harassment and violence, how bystanders can intervene, and how they can respond to disclosures effectively.
  • An increased uniformed police presence in transport hubs and along Liverpool’s dedicated student bus routes and into the night-time economy at peak times on Friday and Saturday nights, as well as dedicated student event nights.
  • Training sessions for primary teachers exploring misogyny, sexual harassment and peer-on-peer abuse through primary PSHE (School Improvement Liverpool).
  • KS2 resource – ‘Send me a selfie’ is a new Ariel Trust programme that looks at the issues arising from the sharing of online images. The animation and supporting lessons allow pupils to focus on the pressure they might feel to share images and the consequences if they do.
  • A new adult education programme looking to challenge misogynistic language and attitudes using a creative resource and digital activity which is anticipated to reach up to 53,000 employees across the region.
  • The development of a ‘guardian project’, with LJMU student volunteers trained to provide support to those who need it in Liverpool’s night-time economy, such as helping people get home or providing emotional support.
  • Increasing the number and quality of CCTV coverage, making them highly visible by painting camera brackets bright yellow, with yellow bands around the columns, to draw attention to them.
  • Travel centres at each of the bus stations, creating ‘safe spaces’ for anyone who feels vulnerable within travel centres at each of the bus stations
  • An intensive communications campaign challenging the behaviour of perpetrators of sexual harassment and violence.
  • A text message service for reporting incidents of unwanted sexual behaviour whilst travelling on the bus network.
  • Community Engagement events / Partnership Days arranged by Merseyside Police.
#SaferStreetsMerseyside
Safer Streets mobile phone

Download

Support #SaferStreetsMerseyside

Download the #SaferStreetsMerseyside digital graphics and poster pack. Share them on social media and in the workplace to support our campaign.

Campaign toolkit
Safer Streets Merseyside logo
A4 Posters (10MB)
Web Banners (2MB)
Social Assets (66MB)
Social Assets w/o graphics
Instagram Stories (93MB)
Active bystander aide memoire

News and Updates

Fire engines drive Safer Streets message Safer Streets campaign makes it clear there is No Excuse for sexual violence this Freshers' Week Safer Streets campaign to improve women’s safety returns to the streets again for the summer Safer Streets rolls out across Merseyside Safer Streets Merseyside Campaign Toolkit Safer Streets text message service launches Liverpool schools receive new sexual violence education programme A blog by Emily Spurrell, Police and Crime Commissioner for Merseyside Press release: Safer streets for women in Merseyside Safer Streets comment icon

Support

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Partners

Office for the Police and Crime Commissioner for Merseyside Liverpool City Council Merseyside Police Merseyside Violence Reduction Partnership (VRP) RASA Merseyside Sexual Violence Support Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Merseyrail Savera UK Liverpool University / Liverpool John Moore’s University YPAS YCMA SLDAS Sexual Violence in the Night Time Economy Group Culture Liverpool

Office for the Police and Crime Commissioner for Merseyside

"Every woman and girl I speak to has a story to tell about a bad experience they’ve had when using public transport. Whether it’s men sitting too close, unwanted sexual touching, or sexualised comments. "Too many women don’t feel safe going to work or meeting friends on a night out. That’s why we’ve launched Safer Streets Liverpool. "We must make every woman and girl feel safer and be safer using our public transport network."

Emily Spurrell Merseyside police crime commissioner logo

#NoExcuse

Safer Streets Merseyside logo Our streets, our safety
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