CN: contains mentions of rape, murder and violence against women

This week (3/10), the government announced that the Cambridgeshire Police has been given around £470,000 for local initiatives targeted at augmenting the safety of public spaces, in particular for women and girls.

This comes as part of the government’s ‘Safer Streets Fund’, which saw an additional £23.5 million of funding given to police and local authorities in the most recent round of bidding.

A spokesman for the Cambridgeshire Police highlighted that the force has already “created a selection of innovative plans to increase the safety of public spaces, including projects which emphasise changing attitudes and behaviours in local communities”.

Chief Constable Nick Dean commented: “I am so pleased with the announcement that Cambridgeshire is set to receive additional funding to tackle violence on our streets, in particular against women and girls.”

Supt Kate Anderson, who submitted the bid on behalf of the force, said that she is “pleased” that the force have been “able to secure this funding to prevent crime, and to identify and hold to account those people who ignore the law”.

She stated that “some of the money will be used to tackle predators” to “stop and prevent (these) abhorrent crimes and keep women and girls safe.”

The announcement has come at a time in which many women are questioning their safety as well as their trust in the police, after revelations around the circumstances of the rape and murder of Sarah Everard by policeman Wayne Couzens have come to light. Sarah Everard was abducted from a London street by the Met Police officer, who carried out a fake arrest on the woman. Investigations have since highlighted many instances of violence against women by police officers. It has been highlighted by many that this mistrust in the police is not new for ethnic minorities. 

The first and second round of bidding for the ‘Safer Streets Fund’ focused on reducing neighbourhood crime in the areas of burglary, robbery, theft and vehicles.

The most recent, and third round of bidding continues to share the same focus on making public spaces safer, but has a particular emphasis on women and girls.